Sirius Backseat TV - Chrysler

Sirius Backseat TV - Chrysler

We are at a crossroads.

Thanks to the internet, people have become accustomed to the free and easy flow of information. Subscription services -- from newspapers to magazines to cable TV -- are scrambling to keep their heads above water as mobile devices make no-cost infotainment even more ubiquitous. SiriusXM plans to come out swinging at freemium competitors like Pandora in a new update, but will it be too little, too late?

The updates are part of SiriusXM's SXM 2.0 technology, which is scheduled to begin rolling out later this year. Full details about the upgrade aren't available yet, but according to online reports, SXM 2.0 will include:

  • Music discovery options (much like Pandora)
  • The ability to create customized music channels (again, like Pandora)
  • The ability to shift forward or backward in a station's programming by several hours (a bit like Tivo)
  • Up to 25% more channels

Unfortunately, all indications are that SiriusXM subscribers will need new radios to take advantage of the 2.0 features. That's a big downside for users, but could make cash registers sing at Sirius.

Most intriguing of all: at least one automaker plans to roll out a 2013 model vehicle with the SiriusXM 2.0 technology built-in. We have our guesses about which one that might be. Do you?

[Mashable]