"We are on a mission to free everyone to do more with direct and seamless access to the most delightful and valuable voice experiences, and our partnership with iHeartMedia is another example of how Native Voice is fulfilling that mission," says John Goscha, CEO of Native Voice. "The time is right for voice and we’re excited to be partnering with category-leading brands that want to offer fast and easy access to their content and connect directly with their customers where they are."
"This partnership is another example of Native Voice’s ongoing commitment to making life simpler by connecting users with brands’ voice assistants, and all the help they have to offer. And by doing so, improving the bond between consumers and the brands they love through voice. Simply put, Native Voice enables everyone to do more with direct and seamless access to the most responsive and valuable voice experiences. For companies that don’t have a voice assistant, Native Voice works with them to define a voice experience and distribution plan", adds John Goscha.
"We are thrilled to partner with iHeartMedia to launch a branded voice experience where users will be able to ask for an artist, genre, radio station and location, or podcasts, without having to touch their phone," says Katie McMahon, President and COO at Native Voice. "It’s an exciting time for voice recognition, where end users get exactly what they're looking for while saving time and reducing friction. And most importantly, users don’t have to pull out their phone to touch, type or swipe, minimizing the time-suck that’s so common with mobile phones."
2022 has been a year of tremendous growth for Native Voice. In July, the company announced at Amazon's Alexa Live event that their technology would be deployed on Skullcandy devices for the first time, providing hands-free access to multiple branded voice assistants, including Alexa. As a result, Push Active and the Grind Series earbuds are to become the first Skullcandy devices to feature both Alexa and the Skullcandy assistant simultaneously, and now, iHeartRadio.
"As the number one audio company in the United States, iHeartMedia is excited to partner with Native Voice to provide easy access to our unparalleled stable of live and on-demand content using voice," adds John Vermeer, EVP of Digital Distribution and Platform Partnerships for iHeartMedia. "Whether it be accessing live and local radio stations or the most listened-to library of podcasts, offering our users an exceptional experience is our top priority. Native Voice is a pioneer in this space, delivering truly hands-free listening and we can’t wait to offer yet another way to meet listeners where they are with the services they expect."
The Native Voice/iHeartMedia integration on Skull-iQ enabled Skullcandy devices will be rolled out in early Q1 2023. Any existing user of Skullcandy earbuds that are Skull-iQ enabled will be able to add “Hey iHeart” to their earbuds for an instant update, at no cost.
Founded in 2020 by John Goscha, Native Voice enables voice technology to remove the friction between consumer needs and brand solutions by delivering multi-voice connectivity that is accessible across all owned products. Native Voice allows users to get more done using just their voice to unlock multiple voice assistants, like Alexa and Siri, and the brands that are developing their own branded voice assistants.
iHeartMedia.com
www.nativevoice.ai
