October is going to be a big month for Microsoft. Yes, Remdond is launching its new operating system on October 26, which is widely expected to be accompanied by a new music service.
Sources cited byThe Verge claim October 26 is the day Xbox Music will launch. As you may recall, we recently discussed the Xbox Music platform when details first surfaced in leaked photos pointing to a price of $9.99 per month for the all-you-can-eat streaming service.
The service is expected to be similar to Spotify, at least in certain aspectsm with the free streaming version supported by ads. Another version of the service is said to be similar to the current Zune Music Pass with a monthly charge. The service will be offered not only on the Xbox 360, but also on Windows 8 machines and Windows Phone devices. The service is said to be highly integrated with Microsoft’s SkyDrive – using cloud-based storage solution to save playlists and music across multiple devices.
Interestingly, Microsoft is tipped to make the music service available on other platforms, including Android and iOS. However, access to Xbox Music on competing smartphone platforms won’t be available at launch.
I guess this is good news for music fans who like Microsoft products and services. I’m not sure the new platform has a lot to differentiate itself from other offerings already on the market – and least based on what we know right now. Personally, I don’t see any compelling reason to leave iTunes or Spotify for Xbox Music, but of course, only time will tell.
