5G Nano May Re-Energize Radio Appeal

While the fifth-generation iPod nano offers a video camera and other enhancements that build on top of its predecessor, the FM radio feature has made 18-34-year-old music listeners raise an eyebrow in the US and the UK, according to a survey from the Radio Research division of VisionCritical.

Speaking with 3,000 consumers in the US, Canada and the UK this month, researchers paid particular attention to the impact on 18-34-year-olds, in contrast with the general population, as noted in the official report over at VisionCritical.

“Our integrated research and technology company surveyed close to 3,000 consumers in Canada, the US and the UK, between September 10 and 13, 2009 – with particular attention to how the 18-34 year-old set compares to the general population. According to the survey, the new interactive features of the FM tuner show potential to energize interest in radio among younger consumers – the demographic known to be the prime users of mp3 players. Consumers are ‘very interested’ in the ability to pause and rewind songs they hear on the radio – particularly those between the ages of 18 and 34,” the study revealed.

47% of those aged 18 and older say they are “very interested” in the ability to pause and rewind songs they hear on the radio, as far as the US goes. The number rises to 66% among 18 to 34-year-olds. Also of strong appeal among Americans is the ability to see the name of the song using the nano’s RDS display. A little less interesting, although still a selling point, was the ability to “tag” songs for future purchase, according to VisionCritical.

“American adults in general show greater active interest in the Nano’s larger display screen (with 46% indicating they are ‘very’ interested) and the new video camera (45% ‘very’ interested) than in an FM tuner (34%) when the tuner is presented on its own prior to mentioning its specific features,” the report added, discussing the US findings. “Interest in an FM tuner is however well above the active interest expressed in the voice recorder (21%) and the pedometer (17%),” the PDF report said.