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Microsoft is to remove the Xbox branding from its music and video services.
Xbox Music is to be renamed Groove while Xbox Video is getting the slightly less sexy new title Movies & TV. Both apps will feature as part of next week’s Windows 10 preview.
Along with the name change both apps and services will undergo a rejig, with different menus designed to both work via touch and the more traditional mouse and keyboard. OneDrive integration is included, too, so a user’s personal MP3/MKV collection can be uploaded for use with the app.
As a result the Xbox Music Pass is being changed to the Groove Music Pass, although the prices remains the same – $9.99 per month or $99 for the year.
Microsoft has also promised more frequent updates to its Windows Store movie and TV offerings, with weekly new movie releases and access to TV shows on the same day that they air. Netflix-like continuous playback will also be offered, meaning users can resume watching a show on a different device.
The changes will also roll out to non PC and tablet devices in the coming months”.
