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Microsoft is working on a music streaming app for the Xbox 360 and plans to reveal it to the world for the first time this summer at the E3 gaming expo in Los Angeles.
The app currently goes by the codename of ‘Woodstock’ – after the famous music festival – and is being talked up as a Spotify-like service for the games console.
Since launching Kinect for the Xbox, Microsoft has really been pushing to turn its console into a home entertainment centre for the whole family and not just a games console. TV and video has been Microsoft’s primary focus, with apps from the likes of YouTube, Netflix and LoveFilm launching in the past couple of months.
It now looks likely that Microsoft wants to replace the existing Zune music service with something to fit the ‘on-demand’ market along with the host of video-on-demand apps. The news comes from The Verge, whose sources are of course familiar with Microsoft’s plans.
The sources tell that Woodstock won’t stay on the Xbox; instead users will be able to log in and use it on a variety of different platforms when on the go. Music will be available to stream through the browser on Windows 8, iOS and Android devices.
Facebook will be getting in on the act, offering the ability to share what you’re listening to on your Xbox through the social network. Friends will be able to create and add to playlists together using a link to Mark Zuckerberg’s social network.
We’ll get our first look at what Microsoft is building in June at this year’s E3 event, and it’s looking likely that this could be the main event for the Redmond Company after they confirmed that no new Xbox hardware will be shown. As for a launch, we’d say Microsoft will let it loose late this year once Windows 8 is publically available.
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Source: The Verge
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