Times Internet launches mobile apps for Gaana.com across platforms

Considering Gaana was launched during the first part of 2011, this is a late entry in the mobile app ecosystem.

Times Internet Limited (TIL), the digital business arm of BCCL (The Times of India Group), has launched mobile applications for its online music streaming portal, Gaana.com. With this launch, Gaana is now available as an application for Android, iOS, BlackBerry and J2ME devices. All these applications are free to download for the end user.

The company claims that the service allows access to over 1 million songs, including Bollywood, Hollywood, Tamil, Telegu and regional music. The apps also allow social listening with an access to what users' friends are listening. The apps have a feature called 'My Zone', where users can see their history, favourite songs, playlists, albums and artists across computers and mobile phones, which would be automatically synced in real time across all devices.

Besides, the apps come with 'Radio Mode' where users can make their own radio station using Gaana's proprietary recommendation algorithm. Users are also allowed access to curated playlists from radio channels such as Radio Mirchi.

Considering that the service was launched during the first part of 2011, this is a late entry by Gaana in the mobile app ecosystem. Gaana competes with services such as In.com, SaReGaMa's web radio, Saavn.com and Dhingana.com. The company had launched an HTML5 version of Gaana for the iPad earlier but its major competitors, Saavn and Dhingana, already offer mobile apps.

Justifying the delay in launching these apps, Satyan Gajwani, CEO, Times Internet, tells afaqs! that the company took time to make sure that the experience was right. "We were the last to enter the web and became the largest there, too," he adds. According to comScore data for November 2012, Gaana.com has been the leading music service on the web, with nearly 3 million visitors per month, who spend nearly 2.5x more time per visit than visitors of other music sites in India.

Gajwani reveals that initially, the company will focus on consumer engagement on the app rather than revenues, and branding opportunities will be defined in the coming months.

Speaking on the prospect of partnerships with mobile ad networks for monetisation of the apps, Gajwani informs that it is highly unlikely. "Advertising will be premium spots on brand awareness basis, not performance. This should be the ideal place for a brand to engage with the youth," Gajwani clarifies.

Times Internet expects the Gaana apps to attain leadership with engaged users within a year. "We took leadership position on the web in four months; on mobile, we will aim to achieve that within a year,"

Gajwani informs.