Microsoft's very own music-streaming service "Xbox Music" is expanding its services by offering it to Android and iOS devices and letting Internet users stream it for free over the Web, the company announced on Sunday.
The service was first introduced a year ago and was initially available in the Xbox 360 consoles, Windows 8 app, and web-streaming. Users who would like to listen in over 30 million songs for a subscription plan of $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year.
This new move by the software developer is considered another attempt to transform from a being a gaming system to a full entertainment service.
"It’s really to fill out the number of places where a Microsoft customer may want to use their music," said Scott Porter, Xbox's principal program manager, explains to the L.A Times. "It broadens out and completes the ubiquity that users expect from music."
However, the company clarified that it will not be forever free through Web streaming. Yes it will be free for the first six months but will be limited to 10 hours a month for the succeeding months. Subscription will be needed to make it unlimited.
Microsoft may also be preparing to compete with other major streaming music providers such as Spotify and Rdio.
"The Spotify model is the most disruptive thing that's happened in the music industry in the last five years," Xbox Music GM Jerry Johnson told Engadget in an interview this week.
Android and iOS users can now start downloading the app from the Google Play Store and iTunes App Store. Microsoft is also preparing an update to add more music features on its Windows 8 on Oct. 17 which will allow users to create their own playlists based on artists or songs, according to USA Today.
