Mobile services are moving from the smart phone to the automobile at a dizzying rate and MINI is right in the lead with its new MOG On-Demand Music service which is being showcased at the SXSW festival today in Austin, TX.
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MOG and MINI USA are working together to develop a new MINI Connected Approved App, which will bring MOG's award-winning, on-demand streaming music service to MINI vehicles with the MINI Connected system.
A beta version of the app, the first implementation of an on-demand music service ever in a car, was introduced at a press conference this morning.
MOG was launched in 2005 by the former CEO of Gracenote, David Hyman, who also presided over this morning’s press event.
"We're thrilled to work with MINI to unveil the first ever automotive integration of an on-demand music service," said David Hyman, CEO of MOG. "We remain focused on giving people ways to enjoy music wherever they are, and we are jointly designing a MOG user experience specifically for MINI USA that makes it fast and easy for drivers to enjoy unlimited, uninterrupted music and still focus on the road. People listen to music while driving more than anywhere else, so it's critical for us to offer MOG in the car," Hyman added.
According to Hyman, 80 percent of music consumption happens in the vehicle.
“For music it’s all about portability, he said, “and we’re riding that wave.”
Festival participants are able to experience the MOG on-demand service in the MINI and provide feedback to the company.
One fan in the video presentation Hyman provided stated flatly, “If you’re down with evolution, you have to be down with MOG!”
Officials from MINI USA are simply delighted by the association with MOG and the new app.
"The partnership with MOG is another great step for MINI Connected, as we continue to listen to our customers and work to assess, develop and launch the apps they want most in a timely manner," said Jim McDowell, Vice President – MINI USA.
The features of the new service include:
• On-demand streaming – Unlimited, ad-free listening to any artist, album or song at any time from virtually anywhere.
• Seamless integration – Easy to browse, search, play or skip to favorites using the MINI joystick and steering wheel controls.
• MOG allows users to store music on their smart phone, enabling access to favorites even without a data connection.
• MOG offers patent-pending the MOG Mobius music discovery engine, enabling users to switch between artist only radio and a mix of similar artists.
• The app downloads music at 320kbps, providing the highest quality available.
The final MOG app will allow MINI USA customers to download the app, connect an iPhone via USB, and work with the existing MINI Connected system.
The company offers service for $9.99 per month delivering an unlimited, on-demand listening access online at MOG.com, through compatible CE devices from major manufacturers such as Roku as well as Samsung, Vizio, LG and Sonos soon. All this simply through the MOG app on iPhone and Android phones via a single MOG account.
It would seen MINI is moving on up in the mobile services department or as one “MOGophile” put it: “You turn it up and it’s party time!”
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