By Brian “Newman” Rayl
Reports started pouring in yesterday via email and on the Market Playground Discussion Forum that Howard Stern is now available on the Sirius XM (NASDAQ:SIRI) mobile apps. Previous reports had indicated that it would be January 1st before Stern would be available on the mobile apps, but we now have confirmation that Howard Stern and a few other channels including Spice Radio are now available on the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone and iPod, the Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android phones, and Research In Motion’s (NASDAQ:RIMM) Blackberry phones.
All you need to access Howard Stern on the go is the official Sirius XM app, a compatible smartphone, and a qualifying Sirius XM Internet Radio subscription plan. For the app and a list of compatible smartphones, go to http://www.siriusxm.com/mobile for more information.
According to the Sirius XM website, no update is required to get the new channels. Some users, however, have reported not being able to see Howard 100 or Howard 101 on their application yet. Solutions which have worked:
1) Completely shut down the application and then restart it and log back in.
2) Delete the application and reinstall it.
This update comes well ahead of schedule and in time for listeners to catch the rest of The History of Howard Stern: Act IV, which is airing on both of Stern’s two channels. With a new 5 year contract and successful integration into the smartphone applications, Howard Stern will continue to innovate and thrive as the “King of All Media.”
Disclosure: Long SIRI
Spice was available weeks ago on the app. Does anybody know a reason behind the soft launch of Howard’s channels on the app? I don’t understand the reason for not press releasing it yet.
In fact a couple of weeks ago Sirius had stated on their site that as soon as the Howard app was available they would let Howard’s fans know. I haven’t seen any notification from Sirius on this yet and the app has been available for 2 days.
Correction that quote was sent out in emails to customers asking about the Howard app a few weeks ago. It wasn’t on the website. The email stated -
We are hard at work developing applications that allow you to receive Howard Stern programming on your mobile device. Once it is available we will be sure to let all of Howard’s fans know how they can enjoy The King of All Media wherever they go.
Many people had trouble finding the Howard Stern channels on their app because of updating issues. The same is true for SPICE, MSNBC, and a couple of other channels that were just added recently.
Updating your app or deleting it and reinstalling it may reveal a number of channels that people didn’t know that they had.