iHeartMedia has released a major update to its iHeartRadio mobile app.
The update includes access to currently playing song lyrics, the ability to store iHeart app stations as presets and a scan button feature reminiscent of the seek button on a car radio tuner.
In a release, iHeart said the update is the biggest to its app since its initial launch in 2011. The company said the update aims to bridge the gap between in-car radio listening and mobile streaming. It said extensive user research and feedback led to the redesign.
The update (version 10.47.0) is available in Apple’s App Store for iOS and the Google Play store for Android. iHeart says it will be rolled out to all users by Dec. 17.
“Our listeners have made it clear that they want a streaming audio platform that’s intuitive and familiar, reflecting the simplicity of the car radio while embracing the full capabilities of streaming technology,” said Bob Pittman, iHeartMedia’s chairman and CEO. He described the timing of the release, right before Christmas, as a “special gift to our listeners.”
Five enhancements iHeart is highlighting in the app update:
- Presets: Drawing inspiration directly from the car dashboard, custom presets allow listeners to save up to 15 of their favorite radio stations, playlists, podcasts and artist radio stations. The presets will be available throughout the app. iHeart says the feature is an audio industry first.
- Scan Button: Listeners can discover new stations with scan and sample nationwide radio stations. Stations can be filtered by city or genre.
- Live Radio Dial: Attempting to mimic the car radio experience, this feature uses location services to display the closest live radio stations available. You can also specify an area by choosing a different city, which appears to sort by broadcast market.
- What’s Trending Rankers: Users will have access to a discovery feature allowing them to see what’s trending at a given moment among other listeners across iHeart’s top stations, playlists and podcasts as well as trending features.
- Lyrics: In what iHeart says was its most requested new feature, the app update offers lyrics for the song users are listening to on live radio.
The live lyrics feature of the new iHeartRadio App for Apple iOS
In attempting the scan feature myself here at Radio World, it did prove to be a realistic emulation of seeking in a car tuner. The scan does not go in sequential order as far as FM frequency is concerned. It starts with available market iHeart FM stations and then proceeds to other stations listed on the iHeartRadio app.
After some problems pulling in currently playing song lyrics when we first installed the update, we were able to successfully see the feature in action on several Philadelphia stations.
iHeart says exclusive editorial content produced by its stations across the company is also accessible in the app update. This includes artist news, in-studio interviews and its one-tap contests.
