Microsoft has announced Xbox Music, an all-in-one digital music service that will make 30 million tracks available to users via Xbox 360, as well as PCs, tablets and smartphones running Windows 8 or Windows RT. The service will replace the discontinued Zune product.
Xbox Music will be launched first on the Xbox console ( in the US), and subsequently roll out on the Windows 8 platforms. Android and iOS versions are scheduled to arrive sometime in 2013. Existing Windows 7 and Windows Phone 7 owners won’t be getting the Xbox Music update.
The free version of the service will enable users to stream music, with adverts appearing every 15 minutes.
“As an entertainment company, music is an important ingredient on its own and as a part of different user experiences,” said Xbox Music general manager Jerry Johnson.
Mr Johnson added that research carried out by Microsoft 18 months ago suggested that Xbox owners spent 60% of their time on the console using entertainment services rather than playing video games.
Film service Netflix, BBC iPlayer and sports TV network ESPN are all available via the Xbox console.
In comparison, Apple’s iTunes has about 26 million individual tracks.
The Xbox Music will also be available in an ad-free premium version in 15 countries at launch. The paid version will cost $9.99/month(Xbox Music Pass).
Xbox Music set to be available Oct. 16 on the Xbox 360, then to the masses with Windows 8 on Oct. 26.
[Source]– BBC