Late to the game, Rdio brings live radio to iOS
Feeling some pressure from Apple Music, Rdio?
The popular music streaming service, in response to the launch of Apple Music and, most notably, its Beats 1 live radio station, is bringing 460 traditional AM/FM radio stations to its iOS application.
Starting today, the stations, which are owned by stakeholder Cumulus Media Inc., will be available to listen to from inside the Rdio iOS application, the Los Angeles Times reports. KLOS-FM (95.5) in Los Angeles and KFOG-FM (104.5) in San Francisco are among the new stations, as well as talk radio stations and sports-focused programming, too.
Beats 1, on the other hand, a core part of Cupertino’s Apple Music offering, can be enjoyed free of charge and is anchored by Zane Lowe in Los Angeles, California.
Yet Apple’s radio endeavor aside, Rdio really isn’t the first music streaming service to add a dash of live radio spice to its catalog of on-demand music. For instance, iHeartRadio has long been a key player in this area; its iOS app offers some 2,000 live stations for iOS device owners to listen to, on the go.
You can enjoy Rdio for $9.99 per month on iOS. I used to be a big fan of the app and service: its user interface (UI) and general design are both lovely, and I always enjoyed using the application to listen to music on my iPhone. Now, however, I’ve switched over to Apple Music, and I’m finding Cupertino’s service to be a fitting replacement.
That is, at least until the free trial is over. Then I’ve got a big decision to make.
