Microsoft rolls out Xbox Music for iOS and Android devices
Last October I wrote how Xbox Music would be the one music subscription service to rule them all and that seems to be even more true today as we see the launch of Xbox Music for iOS and Android.
Microsoft also now provides free streaming online, with ads, for those who do not want to become a Xbox Music Pass subscriber. Unfortunately, this Xbox Music pass subscription is in addition to your Xbox Live subscription.
I am an original Zune Pass music subscriber and am still under the plan where I get 10 free songs to keep each month. The expansion to iOS and Android is not a free service like you can find with Nokia Music or others, but cost $9.99/month or $99.99/year.
The fee covers streaming music only at this time with no ability to download music for offline listening on iOS and Android phones. You can download on Windows Phones and the offline caching will be coming to iOS and Android eventually. I enjoy the offline mode for airplane travel and at times when I have no signal or don't want to consume my wireless carrier data allowance.
Unfortunately, I cannot test out the Xbox Music service on my HTC One as the Google Play Store link shows me the service is not compatible with my device. I'm a Google Music service subscriber anyway, but I did want to see how it worked on Android. Apparently, there is still some work to be done by Microsoft.
Related ZDNet posts
- Microsoft reveals the one music service to rule them all with Xbox Music
- Buying, streaming, and storing your music: One place to do it all?
- Nokia Music+ comes to Windows 8 and RT, just $3.99 per month
- Bye bye Spotify, hello free Nokia Music
- Goodbye Zune, hello Xbox Music
- Hands on: 32GB Zune HD walk around and first impressions
- Microsoft finally shows why the Zune stands out against the iPod
- Thanks Microsoft, I will now subscribe to the Zune Pass