SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 25 — The Japanese car company has signed an exclusive deal with Apple to bring the much-hyped music streaming service to its new North American vehicles before anyone else.
The first cars to get the service, which allows users to curate their own radio stations based on favorite bands, musical eras, genres or moods, will be the Nissan Rogue SUV, Nissan Versa Note and the company’s best-selling electric car, the LEAF.
The deal will see Nissan become Apple’s exclusive automotive partner at least until the end of 2013 and will enable the car maker to advertise on Apple TV. It will also be taking full advantage of the fact that iTunes Radio is a free service, supported by advertising, by using said ads to reach its customers. Nissan promises content relevant to consumers’ interests.
A new feature in the latest version of iTunes on the Mac and PC and an integrated service in iOS7, Apple’s latest mobile operating system, which is already installed on over 200 million iPhones and iPads, iTunes Radio went live for US consumers on Friday, September 20 and is expected to roll out to other international territories over the coming months.
However, the timing and duration of the deal suggests that iTunes Radio could remain an exclusively American service until the end of 2013 and maybe even beyond.
“We see iTunes Radio as an integral part of our new vehicle launches and ‘big moments,’ riding the wave of interest and usage of this exciting new service to maximize exposure of Nissan’s new models,” said Jon Brancheau, vice president, Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc.
“We’re also adding iAd on iTunes Radio as a critical platform in support of ongoing campaigns, such as our college football and Heisman Trophy Tour initiatives. It’s a great way for Nissan to reach the right audiences in the right markets.” – AFP
