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Microsoft gives up on Groove Music, switches customers to Spotify
Microsoft still isn't having much luck competing in the digital music realm. The software behemoth has announced that it's axing its Groove Music services (streaming, purchases and re-downloads) after December 31st, 2017. And unlike in the past, there isn't another Microsoft-branded service waiting in the wings. Instead, the company is transitioning everyone over to Spotify. The Groove Music app will offer to migrate your collection and playlists through an update, starting with a preview version this week and more broadly on October 9th.
YouTube app teardown hints at ad-free Music Pass service with offline playback
Rumors of a YouTube-based music service just got some credibility thanks to an Android Police teardown of the Android app's most recent code. The site has found references to a Music Pass that would let subscribers listen to "millions of songs" ad-free, even with the app running in the background. Customers could also pin content to the device for offline listening, although it would expire if the device stayed offline for too long. There's no guarantee that Google will launch the Music Pass soon (if at all), but don't be surprised if the YouTube app becomes your personal jukebox in the near future.
US pricing leaks for incoming Xbox Music service
Following those British-based leaks yesterday, a second mole has now offered us a glimpse at Xbox Music pricing across the Atlantic. It looks like the Zune successor will offer a longer 30-day free trial, alongside $10 per-month and $100 annual subscriptions. Surprise -- looks like Americans are getting a better deal.
Dashboard beta leaks new Xbox Music Pass: Cloud playlists and early pricing revealed
Appearing soon after Zune's end, we've been sent these images of what Microsoft's likely to offer in Xbox Music. Matching those early rumors, it looks like some cloud-linked features will make an appearance in the form of synchronized playlists, while the service will offer a free half-month trial alongside paid subscriptions. Prices are currently set at £8.99 ($15) for a month, while £89.90 ($146) will offer a year's unlimited access to "millions" of tracks, to stream and download across Xbox, Windows, and Windows Phone. The system's UI seems to borrow its looks from Windows' Metro tile-based style, with a very similar keyboard that appears to be navigable from your Xbox controller. Take a tour of the gallery below and expect to hear more specifics ahead of the big Windows 8 launch next month. [Thanks Anonymous]
Sony BMG skips DRM for Platinum MusicPass MP3 gift cards
Sony BMG Music Entertainment just announced Platinum MusicPass, retail gift cards which can be traded in for digital music, delivered to you in "high-quality" – and notably DRM-free – MP3 files. No word on precisely what bitrate constitutes high-quality, but for $12.99 (or $19.99 for a couple special edition albums) you can pick up a card from a local retailer, scratch the back, enter the pin number on MusicPass.com and download the MP3s (and sometimes bonus material). Is it perhaps inadvisable to require consumers to leave the internet, go to a store to purchase a MusicPass card, only to return home to the internet to download the DRM-free track? Hey, we're not business majors here and – judging by the initial album offerings – we're not their target demographic either. Celine Dion and Kenny Chesney, really?
