Lumia 928 Question: Explanation of Xbox Music / Nokia Music stores

[awahl90]

Hi everyone! My name is Adam and I'm heading to Verizon tomorrow to pick up the Lumia 928. I've done the research into the phone, microsoft's ecosystem, and the like, however one area I still do not understand is how the Nokia Music / Xbox Music apps work. I'm coming from an iPhone 4S with tons of music from the iTunes store and would like to be able to transfer that music to the 928. With that bit of background, the purpose of this thread / question is the following:

Could someone please explain to me what the differences are between both of those music providers? Also, pending I was able to get my iTunes collection (I'm sure that's one google-click away) onto the 928, is the selection of songs as good to download from the Xbox Music store? My primary use is buying songs / albums, not streaming free music. Thanks for all your input and help!

-Adam

 

[Vallos]

Xbox Music is a free streaming service that is limited to 10 hours/month after 6 months; unlimited streaming and downloads with paid subscription - $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Of note, you will not be able to keep your downloaded songs if you cut your subscription.

I can't speak on Nokia Music as I do not have it (yet). So I hope this link will be elucidating.

 

[rick98761]

You can also load music onto the phone like you would with an iPhone.

 

[ArvydasGOAT]

You can also load music onto the phone like you would with an iPhone.

Ya, if you plug your phone into your computer, it pops up like a flash drive and you can drag mp3s into a preset music folder.

 

[Wordjoy]

Xbox Music streams unlimited if you pay.. AND you can buy Music to keep like iTunes.. best of both worlds.
IT plays on PCS (you use old ZUNE software on Windows 7) on Xbox and on Windows Phones..
I looked at Nokia Music.. not consider it bloatware.. I would like to remove.. but can't.
There is preview 3 of the new Windows Phone 8 Sync Software that will synch either your Windows Music Library of off of iTunes....
Windows Phone app for desktop (Preview 3) | Windows Phone 8 | Windows Phone How-to | Windows Phone (United States)

 

[CaptDjob]

Nokia Music you can also buy songs, but I think the heart of Nokia Music is Nokia Mix Radio.

When using free you have:
- ability to listen tons of different pre-made "radio stations"
- make your own "stations" by defining 1-3 band you like and the list is made accordingly (adding similar type of musing in the mix)
- downloading stations to offline usage (I think there is limit how many stations you can download)
- limited amount of skips /h (was it six or something?)

Paid version Nokia Music+ (3.9$ in US and 3.9€ in Europe):
- unlimited skips
- better sound quality
- more stations to offline (If I remember this correctly)
- Nokia Music + has app also for Windows RT (and Win8)

These were out of my head so there can be something not right but more or less that is the thing. I have been using free app, but most likely will pay that modest 3.9€ fee. I like the service very much.

 

[mpt15]

Nokia Music allows to download and save music to your phone and also allows you to make mixes available offline. Coming from a country where unlimited internet costs a LOT, I've found Nokia music extremely useful, and I download music on a regular basis.

 

[awahl90]

Hm...so it sounds like my only real option is to continue to use IT for downloading music? If I have read the above correctly, I cannot actually download music from Xbox Music unless I'm paying the monthly rate? And must also keep that account to keep my songs?

 

[stwall]

You can buy music from Xbox Music without a subscription. Having the subscription gives you unlimited free downloads of most of their music catalog though. Otherwise, it's usually the standard 99 cents I think.

 

[Vallos]

awahl90, stwall is correct. If you download songs using your subscription you keep them so long as you keep your subscription paid. If you buy songs (whether or not you have a subscription) you keep them forever.

 

[prjkthack]

Xbox Music

- Music Pass at $9.99 a month allows you to stream almost all of the Xbox Music library for free from a compatible device. It also allows you to download offline copies of music to your device, but these copies of music are only available to you as long as you have the Music Pass active.
- You can also browse the Xbox Music Store and buy albums/tracks. You do not need a Music Pass for this. Any songs you purchase are yours to keep and use on whatever device you want.
- Xbox Music is also the default music player for Windows Phone. You can load your iTunes library (of unprotected music) onto your device, or your own MP3s using your computer to listen to whenever you want.
- SmartDJ helps you discover new music related to your own personal music collection.

Nokia Music
- Offers Nokia Music+ which is a subscription service that allows you to listen to music at higher quality while streaming as well as download unlimited offline mixes to your device.
- You can browse the Nokia Music store to buy albums/tracks. This does not require a Nokia Music subscription.
- Without a subscription, you can listen to music, create a limited amount of offline mixes, and music streams at reduced quality (but it still sounds great) for free.
- While you can't set Nokia Music as your default music player, it will grab your Xbox Music library and allow you to play it in Nokia Music.
- You can discover new music using the Nokia-catered mixes available through the service.

Basically, these are just music stores available to your device. Xbox Music is built-in as part of Windows Phone 8, while Nokia devices have access to Nokia Music which is a minor perk for getting a Nokia device. These services as similar to Spotify, and the many other music stores out there.

 

[abqjfc]

I just activated my Lumia 928 - Which I refer to as the Porsche of smart phones - (928 - Porsche...).

I previously (up to last week) sync'd my Itunes with "Salling Media Sync" to my Droid Bionic (free app - just Google it). It works flawlessly!

Today: Lo and Behold, it also works with my 928. BUT, the only issue I have with the sync is that the playlists are not sync'd.

The music is sync'd but not the playlists.

I am currently working through that "issue"...

 

[Davinder Sangha]

I think the best way to describe both is as individual apps.

Whatever music you have purchased, will sync to the phone and from the phone. So you have 10 albums purchased on iTunes, they will sync to the Lumia.

Then you have a choice of what player you wish to play them from, Nokia Music or Xbox Music. Like explained in the thread above, they both have their own streaming services, etc. or passes.

Whichever songs you buy from either means that you can can play on any music app on your phone as you OWN the music.

It's recommended that when you sync; starting with the PC. Have all your songs in Windows Media Player Desktop (not any app). Organise them there as you need (including adding artwork, etc.). Then use the Windows Phone Sync App or Windows Phone Desktop Sync to copy the songs to your phone.

Hope this helps. I've noticed that if you spend a lot of time on the actual PC sorting out songs and organising them, it's better in the long term. I just did some syncing yesterday, and even though some songs are amiss, most seem okay and organised.

 

[pma]

I compared prices on a couple albums and found Nokia to be significantly cheaper than Xbox. I'm curious what others have experienced.

 

[aalex]

Syncing playlists is a train wreck. I've posted about this elsewhere. Don't bother as it simply doesn't work at all. I can't believe more is not discussed about this. It should be the number one issue Microsoft needs to solve. One of he three pillars of the iPhone is music sync. And it is completely missing in windows phone 8. The only way it works is if you have nothing but Xbox music. And you use that solely. If you add your own music you're in for a world of hurt.

Duplicate songs, playlists that don't sync. Old playlist names that get stuck. It's ridiculously worthless and how Microsoft got this far without it is beyond my comprehension.

Nokia music is equally worthless. And good luck finding headphones beyond the garbage from Nokia / Monster.

Microsoft, you need to make music a priority. Take a page from Apple's playbook and make your own headphones with features like play, pause, skip forward and backward and volume up and down.

Microsoft, how moronic do you have to be not to see this is an issue? Are you guys seriously this stupid? I'd think you'd want those that give your platform a try to stick with it. What you have created is something interesting but once people see he grand canyon sized holes they might just walk away. There is an expression Microsoft that goes like this... You only get to make a first impression once. Words to live by. Hang it on the wall and make it part of the company mantra.

And make the damn keyboard predictive engine better. Without a doubt the worst one I have used. Little individuals with keyboard apps on Android do it better. You guys have 77 billion dollars. Why are indie developers able to do it better than you?

Sent from my Nokia 928 with Tapatalk

 

[Vallos]

This has been talked about a lot. So much so that Microsoft is overhauling the program with the next big WP8 update (along with Windows 8.1). How much of a change, remains to be seen.

 

[nunyazz]

I've had ZERO issues syncing playlist with my phone (not throughxbox music) Just using the Windows Phone Program provided, click on the music tab, it then shows your iTunes playlists and you just check the ones you want to copy to your phone.

 

[dgr_874]

But none of the play counts or ratings sync back to iTunes which makes it worthless for tracking my music. This music management issue is the only thing that keepsake using my iPhone 5 vs my lumia 920. If Microsoft fixes it, I'm all in with Microsoft.