Sprint has increased promotion of NextRadio, the FM smartphone app.
The carrier issued a push notification recently to its customers asking them to check out the app. The result was a record 25,000 downloads in one day — more than four times what the average daily rate had been, according to Emmis.
The push notification is key for activating users who have never opened the NextRadio app preloaded on their phones, or serves as a reminder to casual listeners, says the TagStation team. It also targets Sprint customers with phones purchased before NextRadio launched who have the ability to download and install it from the Google Play Store.
As part of a summer promotion ramp-up, Sprint has delivered NextRadio-enabled phones to 30 DJs so they can talk those up on-air and on social media.
Tackling smartphone FM chip activation by other wireless carriers in the U.S. has been an uphill battle — the pushback always centers around the need to see real consumer demand. To address that, several radio groups are creating a joint venture with consumer and safety interests in mind, according to Emmis.
Emmis SVP/CTO Paul Brenner and Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs plan to discuss the overall connected car picture and how NextRadio and TagStation fit into that future in a webinar slated for July 16. Register here.
