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Xbox Music app now on Android and iOS

C

Crono

Lifer
http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/9/4706750/xbox-music-ios-android-apps-launch-free-streaming-on-web

It's not perfect, as there is no offline support yet, but great news for us users of multiple mobile operating systems. It also isn't available on the HTC One yet for some reason. 🙁 So don't throw away your Zunes or Windows Phones just yet (not that you should).

In addition to Xbox/Zune Music Pass support, there is free, ad supported streaming similar to the Spotify and Pandora models.
 
Hopefully it's better than Microsoft's other Android apps, OneNote and Skype are both dreadful and Outlook.com is very basic at best.
 
It's very cool to see Microsoft starting to support all the mobile operating systems. They were kind of forced into it since WP isn't very popular but I'm actually considering using their services now.I know I can access them on any device I have unlike Google and Apple.

I haven't had many issues with OneNote or Outlook but I don't use them extensively just basic note taking and checking my outlook mail.
 
I was very happy to see the Xbox Music app released for iOS and Android. I have the OG Zune Pass $14.99 plan which gives you unlimited streaming (like the current Xbox Music Pass) + 10 "song credits" to download songs to keep per month.

I had a HTC 8x which was honestly quite good, but ended up selling it to get a Nexus 4 to tide me over tile the Nexus 5/Note 3. I missed the unlimited music streaming (no Xbox Music app for Android) so got in on the Google Play Music All-Access @$7.99/mo introductory price. I liked the Zune/Xbox Music UI better (personal opinion) so I may cancel the Google Play Music subscription now that the Xbox Music App is out.

The Xbox Music App in its current incarnation is rather basic though; no browsing of the store's music library (just have to search for artists/songs) and no ability to download songs for offline play.
 
hellfire88 said:
I was very happy to see the Xbox Music app released for iOS and Android. I have the OG Zune Pass $14.99 plan which gives you unlimited streaming (like the current Xbox Music Pass) + 10 "song credits" to download songs to keep per month.
Click to expand...

I had that for the longest time too. Such an awesome service but when my WinPhone broke I started using Android and gave it up.
 
XBOX Music is SWEET! It in itself is worth WinPhone over others. $10\month. Every song I could ever find. "Sync" all my existing songs off my home server to all my devices. Simply an amazing app. Now even usable in Win8.1 on the PC. Not good at all in 8.0.
 
IamDavid said:
XBOX Music is SWEET! It in itself is worth WinPhone over others. $10\month. Every song I could ever find. "Sync" all my existing songs off my home server to all my devices. Simply an amazing app. Now even usable in Win8.1 on the PC. Not good at all in 8.0.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's good in 8.1. I was very annoyed by the move to Xbox Music away from the Zune program, which worked nearly flawlessly and was very well designed. Windows 8.1 improves a lot of things, can't recommend it enough. I have Xbox Music running on my second screen, a small 15" touchscreen. Perfect way to control my music when I'm at my desk.

I'm a long-time Zune Pass user, been using it since my doodoo brown/green 30 GB Zune when it launched. 😀 It was a strong reason for me to get a Kin One, and then my first Windows Phone, the Dell Venue Pro.

I'm glad to see them opening up to other platforms and the web a bit more because I'm not a single platform user anymore.
 
That's awesome! I love(d) it on my Zune HD, Focus and 920.

Expanding the apps to other OS is a great idea. If only to improve the user base, which then makes the service even better.
 
IamDavid said:
XBOX Music is SWEET! It in itself is worth WinPhone over others. $10\month. Every song I could ever find. "Sync" all my existing songs off my home server to all my devices. Simply an amazing app. Now even usable in Win8.1 on the PC. Not good at all in 8.0.
Click to expand...

Er, theres music streaming services available on all the mobile platforms.

Sell this one to me, why is it better than googles or apples efforts?
 
It's integrated directly into Windows 8, Xbox and WP (if you have one). Your music collection is synced automatically throughout all of your devices.

I have had my service since before it was Zune Pass, so i get to keep 10 songs a month, so for me it's a no brainier.
 
Fingolfin269 said:
Does zune pass still have Led Zeppelin? They're sadly missing from Spotify.
Click to expand...

Yes and No, depends on the album, but for the most part it doesn't.

Nowadays I tend to find, in my limited music taste, that most of the streaming services pretty much have the same music selection.
 
Crono said:
I'm a long-time Zune Pass user, been using it since my doodoo brown/green 30 GB Zune when it launched. 😀 It was a strong reason for me to get a Kin One, and then my first Windows Phone, the Dell Venue Pro.
Click to expand...

Damn, a Kin and a Venue? You've made some questionable hardware choices in the past. 😛
 
RandomFool said:
Damn, a Kin and a Venue? You've made some questionable hardware choices in the past. 😛
Click to expand...

The Venue is terrible, but the Venue Pro is actually pretty good. A lot of people back then was hoping that they make Android phones with the Pro's form factor.
 
WelshBloke said:
Er, theres music streaming services available on all the mobile platforms.

Sell this one to me, why is it better than googles or apples efforts?
Click to expand...

I can use this service on every device I own.
PC
Tablet
Phone
Xbox

I can download to my devices for offline use. Not sure if others do this as well as Xbox.
Look and feel beats everything else now on 8.1.
 
IamDavid said:
I can use this service on every device I own.
PC
Tablet
Phone
Xbox

I can download to my devices for offline use. Not sure if others do this as well as Xbox.
Look and feel beats everything else now on 8.1.
Click to expand...

Does this need Live Gold in addition to its subscription to use on the XBox?
 
Of course they drop this after I cancelled my Zune Pass subscription for a Google Music one. Is anyone using the app yet? How is it?
 
WelshBloke said:
Android Central don't seem too impressed.

www.androidcentral.com/listen-comparing-xbox-music-and-google-play-music-all-access
Click to expand...

I haven't run into the "due to media rights" message yet, but their other points are valid. Google Play Music All Access was pretty crappy when it was first released, but it's okay now. It's been about 2 months since I used it, but one thing that annoyed me was how large albums are in album view and how the art is displayed during playback (jumpy animation). They may have added other options since then.

Right now Xbox Music is worth it if you have it on desktop, Xbox, Windows Phones, or old Zunes. Xbox Music/Zune is better on all these devices than any of the competitors (except maybe Spotify on desktop, which has a simple, Winamp-like interface). Hopefully the experience on Android gets better, but right now it's a simple app. It does work, though, I haven't had any problems yet. The big downside is no offline support yet.

If you are Android only, you are better off getting GPMAA for now.
 
I use Google play music all access because when there are numerous artists that do not allow their music to be streamed, I can upload my copies of their songs and stream them anywhere I want. Xbox music, spotify etc do not offer this ability.
 
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