Shazam turns up the volume on mobile music

London, 28 November 2007 - Shazam, the world-leading mobile to web music services provider, today announces the release of an innovative new mobile application, ShazamiD, which takes its award winning mobile music recognition service to a new level of interactivity.

ShazamiD is a Java application that can be downloaded for free to mobile phones (operator mobile data charges will apply), giving users more features and flexibility to discover and experience music. ShazamiD incorporates Shazam's native mobile music recognition technology as a primary function, but enhances the end-user experience by delivering a richer, more engaging music experience. The application prompts higher levels of repeat usage, which should naturally result in increased data revenues for all network operators.

Once downloaded the application sits on the handset's main menu and offers the user one-click initiation utilising GPRS connectivity. At the touch of a button, users can 'Tag' the music they are hearing and go on to access related information including artist biographies, recommendations and ultimately purchase associated products from a range of integrated vendors.

Andrew Fisher, CEO of Shazam commented: "We have long recognised that the mobile device was set to become the centre of users' music experiences, as evidenced by the 11 million Shazamers who have used our services. With the rapid adoption of more sophisticated handsets, we are delivering a greatly enhanced user experience via ShazamiD that provides vastly optimised music discovery, transaction and community features to users worldwide."

ShazamiD is compatible with 22 Java enabled handsets in the UK and there is a rapid additional handset rollout programme planned for early next year. Initially offered with a free three day trial period, ShazamiD is based on a monthly subscription service of £2 per month which gives users unlimited use of the service.

ShazamiD features:

• A faster music recognition experience - improved sensitivity and music recognition up to twice as fast.

• One touch initiation means there is no need to dial the 2580 number.

• On-device audio fingerprinting provides the ability to initiate recognition of the music regardless of mobile network coverage. If there is no network coverage, the sample is held on the device and then 'pushed' via GPRS to Shazam once coverage is available.

• Cover art with recognition results where available.

• Track reviews and artist biographies.

• Integrated follow-on purchase opportunity of products from ring tones through to full albums and CDs from integrated trusted vendors.

• Recommendations of other tracks being Tagged by Shazam users who have also Tagged the same initial track (based on Shazam's own collaborative filtering).

• Mobile access to Shazam's industry referenced weekly Tag Charts, which indicates the trends of the next number one singles in the main charts.

• No call charges or reverse SMS charges.

• Offers the user unlimited use for a single monthly subscription with minimal additional network charges, which are based on operators' data charges which are tariff dependent.

 

Users simply text SMART to 80805 and follow the link provided to download the application.