Xbox Music Rebranded Into Groove By Microsoft
The Xbox Music service of Microsoft is set to be rebranded by the software giant into Groove. The new service will be rolled out together with Windows 10-powered PCs on July 29. The latest operating system of Microsoft is set to be launched by the end of the month.
Xbox Music Pass subscribers will automatically get a Groove Music Pass. The new music service of Microsoft is priced at $9.99 per month. Users can also get an annual subscription at $99 per year. In addition, Xbox Video will also be renamed by Microsoft to Movies & TV.
A Microsoft blog post revealed that Windows Insiders have the opportunity to test the new service once the next preview build of Windows 10 for PCs is released.
A Twitter user using the handle @TimN_FL found a new page using Groove Music Pass in place of Xbox Music Pass on Monday. Following this discovery, a number of industry watchers were speculating on what the software giant was working on. There is already a music app for the Windows Phone and Windows 8 OS at the Store using a similar name. The application was developed by Zikera, a startup based in Canada. The application is also available for iOS users. The application of Zikera is powered by Last.fm.
@maryjofoley @thurrott I found this in the latest build for the TP. Looks like Xbox music Pass is getting renamed pic.twitter.com/ZaYFBwf8h2
— TimN_FL (@TimN_FL) July 6, 2015
However, the new service of Microsoft is not associated with Zikera. A spokesperson from Microsoft said they “have nothing more to share” after the company was asked whether or not it acquired Zikera. The website of Zikera does not give any indications that it was acquired by Microsoft.