Irish app development company Girtmobile is releasing its Grab Radio app for the Windows Phone platform.
The radio app offers access to more than 35,000 local and global internet and FM radio stations. It can be used to keep track of radio shows and podcasts. Users can search for stations or artists directly or can look through categories, locations and genres.
The Windows Phone version of the app utilises aspects of the platform’s Metro design to help it integrate with the smartphone UI.
The app gives information on who is playing on each station and users can vote for songs and topics using the thumbs up and down buttons.
Users can purchase songs through the app. By pressing the ‘Grab’ button when a song is playing on the radio, they are directed to the Zune store.
Users can view music videos of these songs by pressing the YouTube button within the app. They can also keep track of these videos by tagging them, allowing them to build up a playlist of videos.
The app also can connect to an artist’s Facebook and Twitter feeds and it plays in the background while the user runs other apps on his or her smartphone.
Windows Phone potential
Girtmobile’s CEO Aonghus O’hEocha believes Windows Phone is becoming an operating system “to be reckoned with.”
“We are delighted to have this great app on this platform to give people something more than just a run-of-the-mill radio app,” said O’hEocha.
“This app really allows you connect with the music in way not seen before on this platform,” he said.
James Howell, operator channel lead with Microsoft, believes Grab Radio is the type of app which is ‘key’ to Windows Phone’s growth.
“It allows real connection to the user and their favourite music in an innovative and creative way,” said Howell.
“It goes beyond what people expect, and is very much in keeping with where we see Windows Phone develop and continue to grow,” he said.