Motorola launches iRadio

Motorola has announced the launch of iRadio, which seems to be their answer to subscription based digital radio services from XM and Sirius. Motorola's service is clearly intended to be the mobile phone's digital radio of choice, even though SprintNextel already uses Sirius.

The iRadio service, will include 435 commercial-free radio channels, including genres it identifies as Heavy Metal, Rockin' Cowboys and Angry Women. The service will let users download channels on the computer and transfer them to play on their phones or on car or home stereos, like satellite radio. The iRadio service will cost about $7 a month but the price may vary depending on which wireless phone service the subscriber uses.

Motorola are offering iRadio on the all new Rockr E2 music cellphone, which will not include Apple's iTunes as the first Rockr did. Interesting that they've dumped iTunes for their own service.

Motorola are quick to point out that the iRadio service is designed to be complementary to mobile network operators music download and streaming services. Well, it'll need to be as most major mobile operators are or have launched their own music services to rival iTunes on a cellphone.

I'll say one thing for Motorola's iTunes, at least its not just another music download/streaming service. They seem to be dime a dozen at the moment. This seems to be an innovative attempt to fill a potentially powerful mobile niche that done right could be popular (XM and Sirius have proven that) and complementary to operator services. I just wonder if they can really compete with XM and Sirius, after all, they have one huge head start and great channels and DJ's.

So good luck Motorola, but my money's still on pioneers XM and Sirius. Unless of course I'm missing something.