Microsoft Brings Xbox Music to iOS, Android
Microsoft is pushing into enemy territory with Xbox Music, a streaming service that was once only available on Xbox 360 and Windows 8. That changed on Monday, when the software titan rolled out new apps that let users play unlimited music on their Android and iOS devices for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year.
The two mobile applications are joined by a freemium web player that is available on an ad-supported basis or ad-free with a subscription. Microsoft said that it plans to upgrade the latter with a personalizing tool called Radio, which will let users create collections, put together playlists and browse recommended songs. The Android and iOS client are set to receive an offline mode that will let you save favorites to your device.
An even bigger upgrade is coming to Windows 8 in the form of Web Playlist, a data-driven recommendation engine that can scan web pages for artist names and song titles and create custom playlists based on that information. The tool is scheduled to release on October 17.
“Xbox Music now, more than ever, powers music experiences between Windows 8, Xbox, Windows Phone, and now iOS, Android and the Web,” said Jerry Johnson, the general manager of Xbox Music at Microsoft. “We’re also excited to connect artists with their fans on the most anticipated consumer product of the year when Xbox One launches November 22.”
Microsoft is bolstering its mobile lineup on both the software and hardware fronts. Last week, the company announced that it has agreed to acquire Nokia’s mobile and services business for $7.18 billion. Outgoing CEO Steve Ballmer said that the deal will “strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services.”
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