Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

Hey, remember Zune? Zune's dead, baby. Zune's dead

Streaming service will be absorbed into Windows, Xbox-friendly Groove

Come November, Microsoft is killing off Zune – the very thing that was supposed to kill off the Apple iPod and iTunes. As you may be able to tell, that execution never came about.

Redmond thrust its Zune music players at the world in 2006, and kept plugging away at the hardware and online music marketplace even though no one really wanted it. In 2011, Microsoft killed off the gadget – and now it'll transform the remaining music streaming part of the Zune dream into Groove Music Pass subscriptions (me neither).

In a note on its website today, Microsoft said:

As of November 15, 2015, Zune services will be retired. You will no longer be able to stream or download content to your device from the Zune music service. However, Zune devices will still function as music players and any MP3 content that you own on the Zune device will remain there. You’ll also be able to transfer music to and from your Zune player.

Note Content that was purchased with DRM may not play if the license can’t be renewed.

Existing Zune Music Pass subscriptions will be converted to Groove Music Pass subscriptions.

Groove Pass is like Zune Music Pass but for Windows 10, Xbox, iOS Android, and Sonos, devices and computers, and web browsers, too. There are 40 million tracks in its library that you pay $10 a month or $100 for a year to stream from. Music stored in OneDrive accounts can also be accessed by Groove Pass gadgets.

See the above note for more details on how your account will be shifted over by mid-November – ending ex-Microsoft-CEO Steve Ballmer's expensive battle against Apple iTunes. ®

 

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like