Indiatimes has launched an HTML5 version of its online music streaming site, Gaana.com for the iPad. Although, the web version is also primarily an HTML5 deplyment, its music player uses Adobe Flash, which is not supported by Apple’s iPad and iPhone. According to a statement from Indiatimes, the site has registered 1.4 million unique visitors and 11.7 million song plays within a month of its commercial launch. The average time spent by a visitor on the site is 9 minutes.
Click here to read detailed review of the Gaana.com Web-App on AppNama, including detailed features, suggestions, and what we liked and didn’t like.
Web-App, But iPad Specific
One would have thought that launching an HTML5 version over a native app would save the company the cost of developing different apps for iPad and Android tablets, but a company spokesperson told MediaNama that this deployment specifically targets the iPad, and versions for other platforms, including Android, are in the pipeline.
We tried using the site on an iPhone 4 and got an error that “the current iPad OS does not support gaana.com”. On a Samsung Galaxy Tab, we were able to acces the web version and play songs, as well.
The advantage that Gaana.com has over others is in the amount of content that it features, especially in regional languages and from international artists, and its app-like interface. Others such as Raaga.com and Saavn Music also have iPhone formatted mobile web sites and native apps; Raaga.com offers regional content as well, but its interface is a nightmare: its native iPhone app does not allow users to play music till they register on the Raaga.com website and there is no in-app registration. Saavn also offers popular Hindi and Tamil songs, and has a basic iPhone formatted site and app, which is essentially the renamed avatar of Phulki, one of the first music web app, which Saavn acquired.
Related:
– Indiatimes Launches Music Site Gaana.com In Alpha; Invites, HTML5, Social Music
