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iHeartRadio's PodGuides tool curates podcasts to inspire your next trip
It’s safe to say a podcast probably isn’t top of mind when you start daydreaming about your next escape, but iHeartRadio wants to change that.
Epic Games Store now offers Itch.io's indie marketplace
The Epic Games Store has added multiple apps, including the indie game shop Itch.io and Brave's browser.
iHeartRadio is making a dozen 3D audio podcasts this year
The company has built three studios to help it produce more binaural shows.
Sonos Radio is the company's first foray into original content
But today, the company is making its first foray into content with the launch of Sonos Radio.
iHeart will turn podcasts into books starting with ‘Stuff You Should know’
Plenty of people listen to podcasts on their commute and during work, but iHeartMedia is hoping they can squeeze even more podcast consumption into their days -- possibly before they nod off. The company partnered with Flatiron Books to create a series of titles based on popular podcasts. The first iHeart podcast to get a book adaptation will be the long-running Stuff You Should Know. Subtitled An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things, the book will be written by the show's co-hosts, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, and will "answer all the questions readers didn't know they wanted to ask" about everyday objects.
Lawsuits claim Amazon, Apple and more are streaming unlicensed music
When you walk into a bar, hotel or store, you probably hear music. The same goes for when you tune into a TV channel or radio station. Those businesses are supposed to pay royalties to the artists for using their music. Collection firms like Pro Music Rights (PMR) are tasked with monitoring these things. And they've had a lot more work on their hands, now that they need to keep track of streaming services which must properly license the songs they add to their libraries. PMR -- which sued Spotify last year -- alleges that 10 of the biggest services have been streaming unlicensed music from artists the company represents, and has filed lawsuits against each.
Questlove is moving his podcast from Pandora to iHeartRadio
After helping Pandora transform itself into an original content creator, Tonight Show musical director Questlove is taking his podcast and talents to iHeartMedia. As part of a new deal, the company will air fresh episodes of Questlove Supreme on its iHeartPodcast Network and iHeartRadio stations starting on November 6th (you'll be able to listen to the podcast on platforms like Pocket Casts and Overcast as well). The Roots drummer will also curate and produce new original content for iHeartRadio early next year.
HomePod radio streaming arrives on September 30th
Apple didn't really discuss the HomePod at its iPhone 11 event, but there was still some news that (almost) slipped under the radar. The tech firm quietly updated the HomePod's product page to reveal that the vaunted radio streaming feature will reach the smart speaker on September 30th. TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Radio.com will offer 100,000 global radio stations just by asking Siri. Given that this is considered a staple of other smart speakers, it'll be both welcome and overdue. For other features, though, you'll have to sit tight.
Samsung's Galaxy Fold will have support from 'hundreds' of apps
Foldable phones aren't worth much without apps that can take advantage of their screens -- Huawei even postponed the Mate X to give app makers more time to optimize their titles. That might not be much of a problem now that the revised Galaxy Fold is finally ready to make its debut. Samsung revealed that it has worked with Google and developers to bring Fold support to "hundreds" of apps, including big names like Amazon Prime Video, Facebook, Spotify and Twitter. This comes after Samsung and Google set up test labs that have spent months helping app makers fine-tune their work for the Fold.
iHeartRadio shares tunes as Stories in Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat
Do you really, really want to be sure everyone knows what you're listening to? iHeartRadio thinks it can help spread your musical message. The company has introduced sharing to Stories in Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat through its mobile app -- iHeartRadio claimed to Engadget that it's the first streaming service to tie into all three. Whether or not that's true, it's certainly a time-saver if you want to share to more than one medium.
iHeartMedia is returning podcasts to their radio roots
If you own a radio network, how do you promote your podcasts? By calling back to the roots of podcass and airing them on the radio, of course. iHeartMedia has unveiled a Sunday Night Podcasts initiative that will air podcasts on 270 of its radio stations at the end of each week, starting with The Ron Burgundy Podcast on August 11th. You can also expect series like Stuff You Should Know, TechStuff and The Ben and Ashley I. Almost Famous Podcast, although just what you'll get and when will vary. It's up to the stations to choose the podcasts and time slots that fit.
Samsung says Bixby will soon work with Google Maps, YouTube
Samsung announced today that Bixby will be integrated into more of its products, including its 2019 QLED TVs as well as a range of smart appliances like refrigerators, washers and AI speakers. Additionally, the company said its assistant will also be able to help drivers and passengers as it's expanding into Samsung's new Digital Cockpit. As it shared how Bixby has expanded, Samsung described the assistant as a scalable, open platform and says it now includes partners like Uber, iHeartRadio and Ticketmaster.
Google adds more media and messaging options to Android Auto
Google is rolling out media playback and messaging updates on Android Auto to make it more convenient while keeping safety at the forefront. The refreshed media interface should quickly help you find something you want to listen to , while the system can display short previews of texts -- but only when the car is stopped.
iHeartRadio's app now supports direct control of Sonos speakers
Streaming radio stations just became a bit more intuitive on Sonos speakers. In the wake of similar moves by Pandora, Spotify and Tidal, iHeartRadio's app now offers direct control over your Sonos audio system. You no longer have to fire up the Sonos app to listen to live radio, on-demand tunes and everything in between. And since this is a radio app, you don't need to sign in for freebies like radio, podcasts and playlist-based radio -- you only need it if you're a paying customer who wants access to everything.
iHeartRadio now offers an on-demand family plan for $15 per month
Last year, iHeartRadio rolled out its on-demand streaming plan to everyone, and now it's adding a family tier. With the All Access Family Plan, six family members can get their own on-demand profiles and have access to personalized playlists, unlimited skips on customized stations, live radio, podcasts, offline listening, custom playlists and, of course, on-demand listening.
Apple could bring Beats 1 to broadcast radio
Apple could be set to invest in iHeartMedia, and may bring its Beats 1 station to the broadcast network as part of a deal. Discussions are in the early stages, The Financial Times reports.
Waze adds built-in audio player to spice up your commute
You won't have to use Google Maps if you want a built-in music player to accompany Google's navigation tools. In the wake of a Spotify tie-in last year, Waze has released beta versions of its Android and iOS apps with a native audio player that supports eight services in total. Deezer, iHeart Radio, NPR One, Pandora, Scribd, Stitcher and TuneIn are now available alongside Spotify to give you a choice of listening material for your commute. Not every app is available on every platform (you can use TuneIn only on Android, for example, while Deezer only works on iOS), but you only need to sync Waze with a third-party app to have access to familiar tunes on your next drive.
iHeartRadio adds Spotify-like personalized playlists
iHeartRadio announced today that it's adding a new playlist for users to stream -- a weekly updated selection of tunes based on what you listen to. Your Weekly Mixtape will be refreshed every Monday and will include 30 to 75 songs chosen for you based on the stations and artists you listen to and the tracks you give a thumbs up. It sounds an awful lot like Spotify's Discover Weekly, even down to the day it's released. But iHeartRadio's chief product officer, Chris Williams, told CNET that there is a difference between the two.
Pandora and iHeartRadio paid streams now count on Billboard charts
Billboard may give more weight to paid streams than the free variety in its music charts, but it isn't playing favorites. The industry publication will count subscription streams from Pandora and iHeartRadio toward rankings in its Hot 100, Billboard 200, Streaming Songs and genre-specific charts. They'll have an effect starting with the rankings on July 14th (covering streams between June 29th and July 5th). iHeartRadio's terrestrial and programmed radio stations won't affect the data.
MoviePass CEO is unsure if it will offer a movie-per-day plan again
MoviePass is having a rough time of it. The company's too-good-to-be-true offer of one movie per day for $10 subscription model brought it 500,000 subscribers in one month, but MoviePass' finances show that the startup is struggling while still being dogged by its CEO's comments around tracking his customers. Recently, the company downgraded its available new subscriber plans to a three-month, $30 "limited time" offer that includes four movies per month and a three-month trial of iHeartRadio premium. It seems as if this offer now has no limit; CEO Mitch Lowe told The Hollywood Reporter that he was unsure if the movie-per-day plan would even return as an option. "Do you think you will go back to a movie a day?" a THR reporter asked Lowe at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. "I don't know," he responded.