What is Groove Music Pass and what does it have to do with Xbox Music?

Windows 10 certainly marks a lot of big shifts for Microsoft when it launches afterward in July. Whether it is the upgrade model, new features, or Universal Windows Apps, the Windows of 2022 is a very different beast from the past.

The branding backside Xbox Music has been speculated as shifting with Windows 10 due to downplaying of its name and other clues such as 'Microsoft Music' beingness referenced. Notwithstanding, now a mention of 'Groove Music Pass' has been observed in the latest release of Windows ten and it raises even more questions.

A Groovy Telephone Companion App

The Telephone Companion app is used to connect your Windows Phone, Android or iOS device to your Windows x PC. The app lets you sync your device and also access many Microsoft services, including OneNote, Skype, and Music. The description for Music though has a very interesting reference just discovered:

"For access to millions of songs, unlimited streaming on all your devices, and no ads check out Groove Music Pass."

Clicking the hyperlink to Groove Music pass redirects y'all to the electric current Microsoft Xbox Music Pass page.

Entertaining Possibilities

Windows Fundamental has reached out to Microsoft regarding the referenced name change and is awaiting a response. All the same, there are a few possibilities of why the Telephone Companion app references Groove Music instead of Xbox Music:

Nothing to see here: It is merely a placeholder and does non mean annihilation. Chalk it up to being a beta build.
Name Modify: Microsoft is dropping Xbox Music in favor of Groove Music branding for Windows 10
Acquisition: Microsoft has picked up Zikera, the young startup music company in Montréal, QC who created Groove: Smart Music Actor, an app on iOS and Windows eight.ane

Zikera is a pocket-size startup located in Quebec, Canada. Their app, Groove: Smart Music Role player, is powered by Last.FM and acts as a virtual front-cease DJ for your music. The app scans your library and creates curated playlists based on your preference. The Groove app is available on iOS and Windows 8.ane and maintains a respectable iv.1 rating (out of five) from reviews.

Download Groove: Smart Music Player for Windows 8.1 (Gratuitous)

Perhaps and odd thing (or nosotros are looking too much into it) if you do a Store search for 'Groove' or 'Groove Music' the first thing that pops upward is Microsoft's Music app for Windows eight.one. This occurrence even happens in the new Windows 10 Store. These results propose that either the developers behind Groove take insufficient keyword indexing, or their app is being downplayed in favor of Microsoft'southward. In fact, unless we use the directly link to the Groove app, we would non fifty-fifty know it is there.

It would be an interesting story if Microsoft caused Zikera and used Groove not just to power their playlist creation only as well equally a new branding for Xbox Music. We have discussed bug with the Xbox branding in the by, including defoliation on whether y'all need an actual Xbox to use it or non from consumers unfamiliar with Microsoft'south products. If Microsoft shifts from Xbox make to something else, no one would exist shocked.

For now, this is all of course speculation equally we await Microsoft'due south response. Seeing as Apple tree has bought and now integrated Beats into their music service and Google has picked up Songza, Microsoft would be forgiven for beefing upward their playlist and vocal curation abilities as well. Whether they practise this in-firm or through acquiring a small, simply well-received startup, remains to be seen.

Thanks, @TimN_FL, for the tip!

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