Upon running the app, users are asked if they’d like to “play stream in background?”
If you answer “yes,” the app’s “Background Play” will use “Mobile Safari to play the station’s stream so you can use other apps at the same time.”
The free C-SPAN Radio app for Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch is available via Apple’s App Store here.
MacDailyNews Take: Of course, Apple’s apps have always been able to multitask on the iPhone. For example, iPhone users have always been able to listen to their iPod app while running other apps. However, now a third-party app has used Apple’s Mobile Safari to deliver their audio in the background, too. If C-SPAN can do it, others can, too.
What this portends for the potential iPhone buyer who desires with all of their heart and soul to listen to Pandora while surfing the Web is nothing short of miraculous. 
How come others did not take advantage of this before.
Perfect! Now I can hear the healthcare debate go nowhere.
Could this be the first time that MDN has dissed specific posters in its forum?
Lots of others were already doing it before C-SPAN. Check out the various WYYY or KZZZ apps put out by radio stations.
The only 2 drawbacks are that you cannot use Safari while the radio page is playing, and if the app you’re using takes over the sound output, Safari and its radio stream will quit (not sure if this 2nd one was a bug or if that’s what is supposed to happen). (Note that even if a device fully multi-tasked with all 3rd party apps, the 2nd drawback would still apply.)
That should be “(Note that even if a device fully multi-tasked with all 3rd party apps, the 2nd drawback could still apply. An app doesn’t have to quit (which is why I think it could be a bug), but its sound would also be pre-empted.)
@Mark
I would hope a sound-using app would kill the background play, otherwise I’d hear background radio when I answer the phone!
In fact, that happened to me recently when I was listening to a streaming podcast and answered a call. Don’t know if it was a transient bug, but it WAS annoying.
Mac4lfe: How come others did not take advantage of this before.
Others have: Several radio sites already use the same method, as does the Radio.fx app.
Try it!
So does the LBC, capital 95.8 and most of the other radio apps I have
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@ gzero
Yeah we know who it is, and his fellow misguided, confused, MS butt reaming fan base.
mark: The only 2 drawbacks are that you cannot use Safari while the radio page is playing,
But an alternate browser (such as the highly recommended iCab mobile) will work in parallel without a problem while Safari (actually the QuickTime plugin) is still playing the stream.
mark: and if the app you’re using takes over the sound output, Safari and its radio stream will quit
True, but after that you can simply switch to Safari — which will still show the QuickTime plugin — and press “play” again.
The wonderradio app does thus as well.
ESPN radio app has done it forever.
gzero:
Never thought people would know the difference between a dis and a piss
How dd can one get?
Do we now need to preface every nuance with an explanation for the mentally challenged labeling what it is they are about to read ? ie: “This is a joke” This is humor” ” This is very sad”…
@ Jubei,
Is his the name that must not be spoken?
ESPN’s streaming iPhone app already does this and has for a long time.
I wish all of the streaming apps would offer it, especially iHeartRadio
@ breeze,
Unless I misunderstood your post, you appear to be overreacting to the comment by gzero.
Wunder Radio has offered this feature for quite awhile — tap a link for streaming via Safari…
Are they making fun of R2 about the pandora take at the end?
@ Hmmm,
You betcha!
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Sir Gill Bates:
dis is not a dis
Scanner911 app has done this for a while. NO BIG deal. You CAN’T use safari for anything else.
gzero: “Could this be the first time that MDN has dissed specific posters in its forum?”
If you mean harmless, humorous sarcasm, then no.
I’ve survived one or two of those.
Now i can listen to the Alex Jones show in the background.
PS: end the (private) Federal Reserve!!
The MacOSKen app does this too… and by the way, MacOSKen podcast: funniest Mac news podcast going.
PocketTunes does this as well