Google's dominant Android Wear platform will add a new app this month, iHeartRadio, as the first music partner for its wearable platform.
In the growing wearable space, app developers are making a point to stay connected by launching apps designed for small screens. Following the trend, the popular streaming music and digital radio service iHeartRadio announced its arrival on Google's computing platform for wearables, Android Wear. This is a valuable addition for Google as iHeartRadio is the first music partner for its wearable platform, much needed to stay at par with rivals like Samsung.
According to Mashable, the arrival of iHeartRadio on Android Wear has been marked and owners of Samsung Gear Live, Moto 360 and LG G Watch will be able to stream their favorite channels starting October 15. Users must have the app loaded on their paired smartphones and an update next week will sync the app's functions with the respective smartwatches.
By integrating iHeartRadio in Android Wear smartwatches, the streaming music app will offer more than just simple notifications on the tiny watchfaces. Users will be able to access last played station, recommended stations and the list of favorites. There will also be a dedicated option to control the volume from the wrist as well a thumb up or thumb down for the songs. Smartwatch users will find iHeartRadio's voice control feature quite intriguing, given the convenience it brings to touch-less activities right from the wrists.
"Wearables aren't huge yet, but people are talking a lot about them, so it is a good place for us to be," Darren Davis, president of iHeartRadio and iHeartMedia Networks told Ad Age.
iHeartRadio is a part of iHeartMedia, which was recently rebranded from its former name Clear Channel. The service has more than 50 million registered users with more than 35 devices and technologies using its services.
With iHeartRadio joining Android Wear's fleet, all major smartwatch makers have their exclusive streaming music services such as Milk Music for Samsungs Gear smartwatches and Pandora for Pebble watches.
