iPod Satellite: Apple teaming up with Sirius?
By Peter Rojas 
posted December 6th 2004 8:30AM
posted December 6th 2004 8:30AM
You can expect about one new Apple rumor per day until MacWorld begins next month, and today's comes to us courtesy
of MP3Newswire. They haven't exactly been the most reliable source in the past, but they're reporting that in addition
to a flash-based iPod, Steve Jobs is also going to announce that they've cut a deal with Sirius and introduce an iPod
with a built-in satellite radio receiver. Would certainly Apple's reluctance to put an FM tuner in there, but the one
thing that makes this seem totally bogus is the fact that cramming a 40GB hard drive and a satellite radio tuner into
the same package would result in an iPod that's way bigger than the current ones. We shall see.
[Thanks, Ryan]
I'm buying Sirius next year because of Stern, so I've been looking at all the receivers.
As an iPod owner, the combination of Sirius and the iPod are very, very attractive.
certainly going to put a strain on the battery consumption and what about the antenna? Just like radio people - this new device -if it really is coming - will shut up under bridges.
As far as i understand it, the US uses different technology for satellite radio than europe (and pretty much the rest of the world). Doesn't really come as much of a surprise, but the point is that this poses a problem if apple wants to integrate it into iPods.
Look here for more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Broadcast
"The DAB Forum represents more than 30 countries. The United States is not among them and uses IBOC to deliver digital radio."
Sigh. Shame they aren't working with XM...guess Apple doesn't realize how shallow Sirius' playlists are. You may hear the same song several times in a 4 hr block. With XM, their playlists are so deep, it may be days. The result is a much deeper listening experience on XM, which is the philosophy I'd pair Apple with.
Oh well, it's just a rumor anyhow.
yesterday i told my wife, "i hate ipods. people are over-reacting to it." she said, "but don't you think it's a great idea?"
"what's so great about it?"
"that you could download music anywhere you are..."
"??"
she had no idea that the ipod was just like any other mp3 player, but made so that americans can use it.
she thought that ipod was somehow 24/7 wirelessly connected to itunes and allows you to download any music using the ipod directly from itunes... now i see why she thought ipod was a great idea.
the sirius radio receiver is close to that.
BUT PLEASE Engadget report less cluttering ipod news... i'm tired of them!
Wow, I can't imagine there's anything to this, but damn, I would buy one in an instant. Sirius has been picking up so much steam lately, an ipod walkman would really trump that brick betama... I mean, XM, just came out with.
No XM, no sale!
Oliver: Sirius and XM satellite radio are not the same thing as digital radio, which broadcasts from the same stations which broadcast regular FM.
Woohoo! I have been asking for Serius integration for 6 months now!
Howard on my iPod! So stoked.
absolutely right, galley!! no xm,no sale!!
i don't think so. XM for one is useless for non-US residents. Non-US residents can't use it.
Apple for one won't make a product just for the US market
There are interesting licensing issues here. Remember that the RIAA doesn't want people TiVOing radio. XM used to offer a PC controlled receiver, but pulled it for that reason.
The satellite guys are talking about (and have in one case) portable receivers with storage, but also tight drm that makes replaying and transfer ft the RIAA's dictates.
I would best this rumor has near zero credibility
make zero sense. Apple's iPod works because of the two level - software/hardware. Download music (which you pay per song) and play music (buy iPod hardware). Hooking the hardware up to a constant feed of music does nothing for Apple. Even if they were getting a kick back from Sirius, it ties Apple too tightly into someone elses services.
I have been hoping for this ever since Stern announced he was moving to Sirius. Honestly, I don't care how big the damn thing is, having all my music and a sattelite radio in one package would be awesome! If it's true, I'm first in line.
But Apple doesn't make the lionshare of their profit from music sales - they make it from iPod sales. They proved that they can sell a $500 "walkman" when no one thought they could - why not take absolutely control over the high-end market by releasing a $650 iPod/SatRad Reciever?
Hello (mostly) Americans! Don't forget such a product would be a complete fad outside of the U.S. where different kinds of systems prevail. Sounds unlikely to me, that Apple would release a U.S. product only... (from the Netherlands)
RIAA may care about recording music streams. But according to todays Credit Suisse: First Boston broadcast which has Sirius CFO on. One of the things for 2005 is being able to record the streams and portability.
and yes Sirius Playlist are huge but one thing to remember is that Sirius also have DJ's and people are able to call in or via the net to request a song.
If you haven't seen who these DJ's are go over to the Sirius web site. Some of them are celebreties in their own right.
ie: 1st Wave Channel 22 has Richard Blade, Dusty Street, Freddie Snakesking (all former KROQ DJ's when it was an independent station) and the leadman from the B-52's as DJ's for this early to mid 80's alternative station.
You could shrink down the siruis requirements to a chip - expensive as its custom but do-able - the more iffy proposition is the attenna - there is a "portable" XM player - it's much bulkier but most people have reported reception problems with it.
Maybe this article is really about a 'podcasting' application
Can we say stock increase!!!
Would make sense - Siruis is finally making some good decisions. I love XM - have had it for almost a year now, and just picked up the MyFi - which is hardly a "brick." I'm pretty sure the current Sirius device is slightly larger.
I'm pissed that Stern went to Sirius, but hopefully eventually both services will be available on the same site.
XM playlists are deeper - and I already can "TiVo" radio shows with my MyFi. I have it setup to record 2 shows in the middle of the night - ready and waiting for me the next morning to listen to at work.
Reception is fantastic - I don't have any dropped signals - when running with it I attach a small lipstick case sized antenna to the top of my hood and don't lose the connection at all. (I live in a suburb just 30 miles north of Los Angeles - ground repeaters help.)
After playing with the MyFi for a couple of weeks, it's obvious that having a MyFi/iPod device would make perfect sense.
Hopefully for next year!
I, too, have a MyFi. Although it is no brick, it is substantailly "heftier" than an iPod, thicker and heavier. Squeezing the necessary iPod harddrive inside, even a 5 Gig, would be awkward.
The antenna will also pose another problem. The MyFi's built-in antenna is pretty solid outside but it only works intermittantly inside, and it requires keeping the player vertical for reception (no reception indoors if lying flat). Also, I can't imagine an iPod user clipping an external antenna to their hood.
I like the idea of a "super digital music player" with multi-content sources. But I can't imagine we'll be seeing satellite radio in a device as svelte as an iPod anytime soon. Great if we did though.
I would wager that if we do see a Sirius / iPod device soon it will come in the form of an accessory. Perhaps a special dock with antenna, speakers, FM transmitter, etc. That'd be pretty cool, too.
Ugh... I sure hope not. I have several XM receivers and just love their service. While I'm envious of some of Sirius' programming (their talk is pretty awesome), I think XM's music selection is pretty deep. Add in Opie & Anthony and XM is my clear choice. I'd love to combine my SkyFi and an iPod but for some reason, I just don't see it happening...
Isn't this much more likely to take shape as an iPod add-on? Solves the Apple support problem, the US only problem. Why can't Belkin or someone else build a iPod-top XM or Sirius (or Both?) tuner?
in 2006 i bet 80% of you XM'ers will be on Sirius...
O&A doesn't compare to Howard by the way, they are funny in their own right, but you can't top the original.
Sirius + Apple Ipod = Lots of Howard Stern Shows..
I hope this is true and actually does happen..
The basic problem is Siris's hardware. All of their units are larger then XM's and have problems with heat. The higher heat then XM's units leads me to beleve they also have a higher power draw. XM's MyFI is only rated at 5 hours of battery life, now throw in higher power drain and an iPod (which are not to hot not battery life as well.) What you get is a big unit that has a very short battery life. If this does come out within the next year or so I'd be very impressed.
Also I'd like to say as someone who works selling sattelite radio I'd give the playlist nod to Sirius as I think their stations are less pigon-holed to one type of music.
It's simple. Put the SR and functionality in the cradle and in iTunes instead of inside the iPod. Here's how I imagine it:
IPod already uses a cradle, so it makes sense to simply add an antenna (maybe even a SR receiver) to the cradle. If you have a cradle in your car or in your home, or both, anytime you are "in" the cradle, you can record (or play back, or stream directly, or any combination of those) satellite radio, or simply play back any regular playlist, the latter of which you can do out of the cradle as well.
Having an antenna/receiver in the iPod would be of limited use, and is probably not even a part of the equation if a 4 MB drive is already available in the iPod. If most or all of the Sirius electronics is actually physically associated with the cradle, today's off-the-shelf iPod or even a 1st-gen 5G iPod would work (with an iTunes update, of course). XM could even get Apple to put out an XM cradle (unless the Sirius deal contains exclusivity).
ITunes can be configured so that it will install preferences for channel and timers onto the ipod, which means every time you dock to the cradle it will automatically cache what you prefer. The only thing the user would have to do would be to have the iPod in the cradle at strategic times. If Howard Stern does a 4-hour show and repeats it 5 more times before the next day, that becomes even easier.
DRM can be assuaged by putting a 24-48 hour sunset on whatever is recorded, and by preventing uploading from the iPod to iTunes or other devices or computers, which would be easy if the iPod stores the sat signal as raw form data. And that would be very compact data as well.
Once you cache 4 MB (or less) of either Howard Stern, NCAA playoffs, or music, it becomes a playlist on the iPod that will play under bridges or in the bottom levels of Norad, or wherever. All problems, including keeping the iPod itself a universal product, are solved.
Configured as above, it sounds like a no-brainer. Minimal configuration or manipulation needed on the part of the user, with maximum content availability. No R&D changes to the iPod, and minimal changes to iTunes, with complete DRM control. The toughest thing would be convincing the licensers of the signal that it would be safe for unauthorized distribution. It would, but the convincing would not be easy.
I'll be next in line after the guy who claims he'll be first.
I can tell you right now, that they are going to try to combine iTunes with Sirius' radio service, so that a person can listen to music on the radio, and then if they hear a song that they like, they can purchase it and download it right then and there. Can you say "impulse purchase"? This idea has been in the works for a long time, because I heard the idea pitched to the guy who invented the ipod, it was about a year and a half ago. This idea was pitched with the "on the go" playlist, that we know and love on the 4th (maybe 3rd) gen ipods.
iPod + Sirius would be great as a portable unit if it were an elegent enough solution without reception issues.
I've had both in my car (sirius indash).
Just a comment on Sirius programming - I prefer it over XM for my music tastes which are very eclectic. There are some station categories I enjoy that XM doesn't have at all. Just one girl's opinion!
I have both a Roady 2 and SIRPNP3, and while both XM and Sirius are similar, I would say that someone looking for more music would chose Sirius( being that they have more music channels) and someone who likes talk and news channels should try XM. But I do have the feeling that Howard Stern will be the deciding factor in most peoples choice of service. Giving him 3 channels should pretty awesome.
This is a great boost for shareholders. with Stern and Karmazian as CEO the only thing left is a Partnership with Steve Jobs. Wow, what a marketing ploy. These are the moves that will make Apple and Sirious the media channel of the future. I am shure that Video on demand will be compatible within the next few generations..streaming on your color ipod.
Well siriusly now!
It makes good sense and will happen within the next couple of years. Whether its ipod and sirius time will tell. Ipods are taking over the market even though there are competitors. Maybe the reason for sirius's bulky players is that they are planning for the ipod integration and are directing the science there. As far as marketing, Sirius is kicking xm's ass as of late, and as far as depth of playlists well there is always room to grow. After all they are the little dog right now. I'd say whoever ends up with apple is a lucky duck.
Perhaps a clip on antenea would do the trick or as I was just thinking why not go from ear buds to headphones with built in antenea. Perhaps an option, both come in the packaging and if you choose to Sirius that day you wear headphones. Who really knows. I cant believe that Apple made a 60 gig hard drive that is so small and doesnt seize when it gets a jolt.
Only in america? whats the difference? A Chip? or two! We walked on the moon, built nuclear weapons. Of course we are going to have an Ipod with satallite radio, its just a matter of when. Hell it will probably dock in your car at work, to your home stereo and to your pc.
Hell I just want to know when to buy stock in sirius cause apple is to much now. I look forward to it when it happens and if any of my info is incorrect feel free to judge or label me cause I love to talk out of my butt!
I'm sick of these euro bastards thinking that they own the USA and all of our companies just because we are generous enough to sell you our products. Apple does not have to run all its ideas past you EU liberals before they roll out inovations. Why dont you complain to the EU and susidize another Airbus to take on apple. Feel free to email me at scottiesjc@sbcglobal.net
Opie & Anthony crush Hoo Hoo Stern. Jimmy Norton has meaty manboobs.
does anyone know where we currently are with serius radio and ipod getting together? i am ready to buy both an ipod and a satelite radio (so i can get Stern)...but i'd rather get one item if it is possible.....thanks