Xbox Music is now called Groove. It's definitely a catchier name and a far cry from its previous name that seemed to hint more of games rather than music.
This is in conjunction with the release of Windows 10 later this month. Xbox Video on the other hand, will be simply known as Movies & TV to make it more identifiable to customers, according to PC Magazine.
Microsoft said that Groove's new interface will make it more user-friendly, as it will get OneDrive integration mimicking some of the storage locker options offered by Google Play Music and Apple Music.
Subscribers will be able to upload their music to Microsoft's cloud storage and access it alongside the Groove streaming music catalog across desktop, phone, and Xbox. USA Today said that users of Windows 10, which will begin rolling out July 29, will be able to upload any songs from their collection including iTunes tracks.
Aside from its new name, Groove will also have some new features. These include redesigned menus and navigation controls suitable for either mouse, keyboard or touch screens.
Originally only available on Xbox, Windows and the Windows Phone, the link will soon be available for Android and iOS. As for pricing, customers are given the option to either pay a $10 monthly fee or $100 annually.
PC Magazine also reported that the fee will also allow subscribers to listen to ad-free music for its Groove Music Pass subscription, which also gives subscribers unlimited access to stream and download music from the Windows store, as well as create custom radio stations.
Gizmodo said that while Xbox Music had been a pretty decent service, it lacked the hype and showiness of its more upbeat competitors like Spotify and the recently launched Apple Music. Microsoft hopes its new name would attract more users.
This move comes not long after Apple Music rebranded its platform.
