Microsoft recently announced that they will be offering their Xbox Music Streaming Service for free on the web. What was once available only for users of the Xbox game console and Windows 8 operating system, is now being rolled out to anyone with a connection to the Internet. Starting Monday, September 10th, the service will be available for everyone, including those using the new iOS and Android apps.
This move is clearly another step by Microsoft to shed its image of simply being a software giant. They recently purchased Nokia’s Smartphone division, and they’ve long had a very successful gaming hardware franchise in the Xbox. The latest version of the gaming console, the Xbox One, will be released November 22nd. This ongoing diversification of the services and products they are offering will help them remain relevant in the ever competitive technology market.
Xbox Music allows users to choose from over 30 Million tracks, and stream them to virtually any device for free. The free version will display ads, and also offers the option to purchase downloadable tracks for offline enjoyment. Many tracks which artists won’t allow to be played on streaming services will also be available for purchase through the Xbox Music system.
In addition to the free music service, Xbox offers music lovers the option to upgrade to a $10 per month Xbox Music Pass, which expands the functionality of the service. Combined with advertisements, the $10 per month subscription rate will undoubtedly help turn the Xbox Music service into a profitable division of the technology giant quite quickly.
This move also puts them in direct competition with other streaming music services like Pandora and Spotify. What do you think about this move? Will you give their streaming service a try, or are you sticking with your existing music options?
You can see the full press release HERE.
