Zune Neutered... Where Do We Go From Here?

[TrophyNostalgia]

So as many of you know today marked some blatant changes to our beloved Zune software. Zune Social is gone, all your play history gone like that. Channels have been nixed along with the streaming and support of music videos on the Zune service. Additionally all app service for all devices has been removed. That being said it seems a lot is disappearing.

So where do we go from here? Do you think Xbox Music will be the solution to our woes? What does the future of music services from Microsoft hold?

What we do know officially:
Zune.net pretty much leaves us little to grasp on what the future holds (seen in the following link)

Xbox Music | Zune.net

Additionally Microsoft at E3 2012 released a Xbox Music trailer spotlighting their new music service which gives some insight as to what we can definitively expect. (follow link to YouTube trailer)

E3 2012: Xbox Music - YouTube

In the video we see Xbox Music streamed across three device: PC/Tablet, Windows Phone, and Xbox 360. The video insinuates when streaming from one device it is intuitively known by other devices and you can resume playing elsewhere.

With Zune Social recently nixed, one might question how music will be "digitally socialized". In the trailer we see the option to share music with "friends" while sending messages. This makes me think they will add a sort of Xbox Live interface into Xbox Music with integrated friends from your Xbox Live account (or Microsoft Account).

Unofficial Speculation:
Will we be able to stream and download songs online (via web browser)? XboxMusic.com?

My gut tells me yes, if Microsoft removed any sort of web streaming they would lose a fair amount of convenient availability to stream "from the cloud" music via your "Xbox Music Pass".

Will Xbox Music remember your plays? What about play counts?

I personally hope Microsoft will merely revitalize this experience (maybe not full blown Zune Social features) in Xbox Music. To me it was great to know for my own knowledge what music I played and how much. If you glimpse in the E3 2012 YouTube trailer you see a "Metro Tab" of "Most Played" so it appears Xbox Music will know items frequently played, but I feel this will be extremely limited compared to the freedom of "social" features we enjoyed in Zune.

It's sad to see you go Zune, I reached 80,000 plays just before they removed our histories. (I always wanted to reach 100,000).

What do you think the future of Xbox Music is in the emerging Microsoft Windows 8 ecosystem? Is it merely an option giving way to other more passionate music providers, (Nokia Music, Rhapsody, iTunes, Amazon...) or will it still be a vital part? I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts and opinions.

*Edit: Now I haven't been able to preview Windows 8, so if you have exposure to the Music service in their what do you think it's impact will be in the final release of the Windows 8 ecosystem?

 

[johnmcd348]

I wonder if there isn't a system hack you could do to reinitialize the services like we did to restart the marketplace awhile back? Maybe someone will figure it out.

 

[TrophyNostalgia]

I wonder if there isn't a system hack you could do to reinitialize the services like we did to restart the marketplace awhile back? Maybe someone will figure it out.

Although that would be nice, it still wouldn't be the same... Honestly I feel if Microsoft had simply pushed, marketed, and refined the social aspects of Zune it really could have been a killer music program.

 

[GoodThings2Life]

I'll be honest, I was an initial Zune user... had one of every generation device too, including a customized Zune HD in the end. I loved the experience, and I felt if they'd marketed it harder, they could have been more successful.

However, I do feel it was their effort to test the waters and get their feet wet, and ultimately the Xbox brand is more popular, so it only makes sense to rebrand and continue on.

I do believe that we will see a third subscription option for video, although I'm curious to see what their library will be like and what that subscription option will look like. I hope it's affordable ($10/month for unlimited streaming and continue a per-video purchase rate would put it at a comparable rate to Amazon Prime or Netflix if the video selection is decent, which I've always felt it had a good start.)

I don't miss any of the social features... I've never cared about them or used them, and I would find it more beneficial if I could just "Share" on more universal social platforms like Facebook or Twitter.

I will use Zune Desktop app as long as possibly can. No doubt about that. However, I'm excited to see what the future holds too, especially if I can be watching on a device and then push it over to my Xbox easily.

 

[AKA Preluva]

What the **** does Xbox have to do with music? When I think of Xbox I think of games! I just don't get where they are going with this. :straight:

 

[GoodThings2Life]

I thought I explained it pretty well... Xbox is a popular brand, Zune is not. Rebrand Xbox as a media platform... Games, music, video, and more.

 

[X0LARIUM]

So will my Zune Music Player not work from now in?? I actually didn't understand what is gone and what isn't...

Sent from my RaZr on JB!

 

[crystal_planet]

What the **** does Xbox have to do with music? When I think of Xbox I think of games! I just don't get where they are going with this. :straight:

It's a multi media device. Yeah, first and foremost it's a gaming console, but it also is a Netflix streamer etc.

That and brand recognition is the reasoning behind the change.

 

[WasteSomeTime]

This is good news. If they re brand it. People will actually know what is and as it stands right now most people I come across usually say " wtf is zune ? " . If they redesign it, that would be even better.

Sent from my SGH-i677 using Board Express

 

[TheNerdlyKnight]

I've been very curious about the rebrand and excited too. I saw the changes myself this morning when I was backing up my phone. I have a strong inkling that we'll see a big Xbox Music announcement during the Windows Phone reveal in San Francisco. I wonder what if anything we'll see in terms of desktop software?!

Sent from my Lumia 710 using Board Express

 

[CJ Thunder]

It's a multi media device. Yeah, first and foremost it's a gaming console, but it also is a Netflix streamer etc.

That and brand recognition is the reasoning behind the change.

Does the average consumer compare an Xbox to a roku or a smartTV? I have not seen one commercial regarding Xbox as the ultimate media device, which it mostly is(no Blu-ray).

Anyway the Xbox Music App on the preview is crap, where all the leaks? W8 RTMed more than a month ago, saw updates but no usage pics or reviews or anything!

I never used things like wireless share in Zune or really followed my friends but now phones will have NFC, Bluetooth is almost always on, wifi. It could be like spotpass on the 3DS. Hopefully it grows and not shrinks.

 

[X0LARIUM]

I'm completely confused at this stage...

1. What is XBOX Music? Is it an App...? Is it a software? Is it a device (like iPod)?

2. How is it related to the Zune Music Player?

3. On my Win8, the Music App is missing, so now what do I search for...? XBOX Music...?

4. Somewhere I read XBOX Music will release on 26Oct...SO what is the Music app that already exists on some other builds of Windows 8...

Thanx MS for making my life a complete mess for something as simple as a music player...


Sent from my RaZr on JB!

 

[AKA Preluva]

I'm completely confused at this stage...

1. What is XBOX Music? Is it an App...? Is it a software? Is it a device (like iPod)?

2. How is it related to the Zune Music Player?

3. On my Win8, the Music App is missing, so now what do I search for...? XBOX Music...?

4. Somewhere I read XBOX Music will release on 26Oct...SO what is the Music app that already exists on some other builds of Windows 8...

Thanx MS for making my life a complete mess for something as simple as a music player...


Sent from my RaZr on JB!

This post pretty much sums it up. This is a stupid idea nobody has a clue as to what it is.

 

[sconrad308]

I'm running the W8 enterprise release for testing purposes. Mainly to see if I like it and how bad I would want it. But I digress, the Xbox music is pretty much like the zune app in that all my music loads into there and I stream from there. Basically, all that has changed is that in W8 and WP8 there will no longer be a zune app for download, but there will be an Xbox music app installed automatically or maybe I had to get it from the store, but it is there. There is also an Xbox movie app and the regular xbox games app.

If you have any questions I will run through my W8 and let you know what I can.

 

[inteller]

the most disgusting development in all of this is how uninterested Microsoft is in providing a consistent experience for 7.x users. They could not run faster from 7.x if they tried. Nokia must feel like real chumps standing on stage saying they will support 7.8 in the future while MS is busy out back stabbing 7.8 in the back.

 

[X0LARIUM]

I'm running the W8 enterprise release for testing purposes. Mainly to see if I like it and how bad I would want it. But I digress, the Xbox music is pretty much like the zune app in that all my music loads into there and I stream from there. Basically, all that has changed is that in W8 and WP8 there will no longer be a zune app for download, but there will be an Xbox music app installed automatically or maybe I had to get it from the store, but it is there. There is also an Xbox movie app and the regular xbox games app.

If you have any questions I will run through my W8 and let you know what I can.

I didn't even get the default music player...mine is Enterprise N edition...x64.
When I try to download it from the Store it says my system isn't compatible...

Sent from my XT910 using Xparent ICS Blue Tapatalk 2

 

[sconrad308]

I didn't even get the default music player...mine is Enterprise N edition...x64.
When I try to download it from the Store it says my system isn't compatible...

Sent from my XT910 using Xparent ICS Blue Tapatalk 2

Mine came with it. I'm also running the x64 as well. I'm not sure why mine is working. Are you in the states? Maybe right now it is only on the US version?

 

[X0LARIUM]

Mine came with it. I'm also running the x64 as well. I'm not sure why mine is working. Are you in the states? Maybe right now it is only on the US version?

No I'm not. I'm from India. And do u have Enterprise N edition?


Sent from my RaZr S3.

 

[sconrad308]

No I'm not. I'm from India. And do u have Enterprise N edition?


Sent from my RaZr S3.

Mine just says that it is Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation build 9200. I wonder if maybe xbox music on windows 8 is just for America for now?

 

[X0LARIUM]

Mine just says that it is Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation build 9200. I wonder if maybe xbox music on windows 8 is just for America for now?

Yea guessing it is then...and u don't have the N version like mine...this specific European version is shipped without any media players..

Sent from my RaZr S3.