Does You App Work?

If you believe the future of radio doesn’t involve apps, streaming, and in-car digital listening, you can stop reading now.

But if you’re ready to deal with reality, let’s get into it.

For years, stations have proudly announced, “We have an app!” Great. You should. But that’s not the real question anymore.

Does your app actually work in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Not “is it compliant.” Not “does the vendor say it works.” And don’t confuse Bluetooth with CarPlay. Your station app may play perfectly through Bluetooth, but that doesn’t mean the app will appear on the CarPlay screen.

Bluetooth simply sends the audio from your phone to the car. CarPlay is different. Your app has to properly support CarPlay to appear on the dashboard.

These systems aren’t luxury features anymore. Edison Research reports that 40% of vehicles now have CarPlay or Android Auto, up from 26% just two years ago. And 83% of people who have it use it.

AM/FM still owns 47% of in-car audio time among CarPlay and Android Auto users. Streaming and SiriusXM each account for 20%. Radio still wins. But our biggest competitors are literally sitting on the same screen.

The “We Have an App” Trap

I recently tested several station apps in CarPlay. What I found was stunning. One app didn’t show up in CarPlay at all. The manager insisted it was compliant. Maybe on paper. In the real world? It was not there. If the listener can’t find you, you don’t exist. Another app appeared, but the screen kept flashing, “We will be back after this short intermission.” A third app looked perfect, until I hit play. Silence. Three stations. Three broken experiences.

Stop Assuming. Start Testing.

Here’s my challenge to every owner, GM and PD: Get in your car and test your own app.

Not at your desk. Not on Wi-Fi. Not by asking your vendor. Get in the car. Plug in your phone. Turn on CarPlay or Android Auto. Then become your listener.

Can you find your station immediately? Does it play immediately? Can you control it without touching your phone? Is the “Now Playing” information correct? Does everything work flawlessly, hands-free? Because if it doesn't, your listener isn't going to troubleshoot it. They'll choose something else.

The Goal Is Seamless

The goal isn't simply compatibility. The goal is a seamless in-car experience. The listener doesn't care who developed your app or whether it's technically “CarPlay compliant.” They want to get in the car, find your station, hit play and hear it. Three things should be non-negotiable:

LOOK GOOD

Your station should look professional on the dashboard, sitting next to Spotify, Apple Music, SiriusXM and every other choice.

SOUND GOOD

This is where many radio stations have a problem. Listen to your station through CarPlay, then switch to Spotify or Apple Music. How do you sound? Some radio streams sound thin, compressed and bandwidth-starved, sometimes more like an AM station than a modern FM signal. That's not good enough.

We spend thousands of dollars making our stations sound great, then deliver an inferior-sounding stream. The listener doesn't care about codecs, bandwidth or your streaming provider.

They just know Spotify sounds better.

Test your stream against Spotify and Apple Music, in the same car, through the same speakers. You may not like what you hear. But you need to know.

WORK PERFECTLY

And here's another one: don't make them wait. Many radio apps start with a commercial before the listener ever hears the station. Think about that. They chose you. And the first thing you give them is a commercial? Why risk losing the listener before they hear one second of your station? Let them hear the station first. Then monetize the audience.

The first impression should be your product, not an advertisement.

Your App Is Part of Your Product

We obsess over our radio product, music, imaging, personalities, processing and promotions. But the product doesn't end when the signal leaves the transmitter.

For a growing number of listeners, your app is the way they experience your station in the car.

If it doesn't appear, doesn't play, sounds bad, looks bad, starts with a commercial or requires them to grab their phone, you've created friction. We work too hard to earn listeners to lose them because our app doesn't work.

Test it like a listener, not like a developer.

Your Assignment

If you haven't tested your station's app in CarPlay this week, do it today. Then test Android Auto. Don't ask, “Do we have an app?” Ask: Can my listener find us, hear us and enjoy us instantly? Look good. Sound good. Work perfectly. Make the experience seamless.

The battle for the dashboard isn't coming.

It's already here.