Xbox One Includes Free Ad-Supported Xbox Music Streaming

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In the race to one up the competition before launch day, Microsoft has confirmed free ad-supported music streaming for the Xbox One. PC owners still laughing. ;)

Microsoft is moving to a free ad-supported streaming model for Xbox Music on the company’s upcoming Xbox One console. Albert Penello, Microsoft’s head of product planning for Xbox One, confirmed the change in a Twitter message earlier this week. It appears that Xbox One owners won’t need to subscribe to the Xbox Music service to stream music, but Penello says users "will get periodic ads." While the streaming is free, Xbox One owners will still require an Xbox Live Gold subscription to access the music app.
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Microsoft needs to remove the Xbox Live pay wall for the media services. Keep those funds focused on gaming.
 
bpmurrGT said:
Microsoft needs to remove the Xbox Live pay wall for the media services. Keep those funds focused on gaming.
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I love the Xbox, and I love Xbox Live, but this is the truth. Netflix, Hulu, etc. don't use the MSFT servers. It shouldn't require a Gold sub to access. My Mom bought an old Xbox 360 to use it for Netflix until she found out about needing a second subscription. She doesn't game (kids & grandkids do, though). So, games for the kids and Netflix for her and my Dad. She sold that and bought a Roku. So much easier. Xbox 360 was a great deal, too. I think she paid $50 for it, worked and everything. That paywall is a horrible thing. At least if you get people buying the Xbox and using the services (Netflix, Hulu), they will have more incentive to buy a Gold sub when it comes to gaming.
 
So..I get to use this "Free" service which is Ad supported, but only if I "Pay" for the Live Gold subscription?

That sounds like the Best Deal Ever...:rolleyes:
 
Dekoth-E- said:
So..I get to use this "Free" service which is Ad supported, but only if I "Pay" for the Live Gold subscription?

That sounds like the Best Deal Ever...:rolleyes:
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It's a better deal than the deal Gold subs got before, but in no way is it free.
 
You know it's the little things that Americans get for free and take for granted. Here is another example of another free service that 3rd world countries have to actually pay for to get. It's not good enough that they have to listen to advertising that is going to make Microshaft millions in revenue. They actually have to pay to listen to these ads.
:D:D:D

I'm proud to be a PC User where at least I know I'm free.
And I gladly stand up, next to you and defend her still today.
Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this free and open platform,
God bless the PC Master Race!

Sorry Mr. Greenwood.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
So..I get to use this "Free" service which is Ad supported, but only if I "Pay" for the Live Gold subscription?

That sounds like the Best Deal Ever...:rolleyes:
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Its a hell of alot better than Sony's offering which requires PS+ and an additional $50 sub fee
 
Free music streaming on my Surface Pro 2, please.
 
Megalith said:
Free music streaming on my Surface Pro 2, please.
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I thought those things came with Win 8.1 installed? Should be the same XBOX Live Music Service in Win 8.1. Sorry if I'm wrong as I've never seen the new Win 8 tablets. :)
 
Seems to be different. I just went into the app and they want $10 a month. Meh.
 
VladDracule said:
Its a hell of alot better than Sony's offering which requires PS+ and an additional $50 sub fee
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Actually none of the media stuff on psn requires psn+. That said, both options are shit. Putting subscription or ad based service's behind another pay wall is a douche move, no matter who does it.
 
Dekoth-E- said:
Actually none of the media stuff on psn requires psn+. That said, both options are shit. Putting subscription or ad based service's behind another pay wall is a douche move, no matter who does it.
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Yet the country is still addicted to cable television.
 
Megalith said:
Seems to be different. I just went into the app and they want $10 a month. Meh.
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That's for unlimited streaming and downloads on up to four devices, pretty typical of today's pricing for a comparable service.
 
Here is my take on Xbox Live - If you do it right its less than $5 a month. For that $5 you are getting access to applications that were developed specifically for that platform - which allows you to enjoy them from the comfort of your living room, or den, or wherever is most comfortable.

Sure, you can play music from your laptop or desktop or tablet using the same internet connection without having a $5 subscription fee. But are have you hooked it up to your living room sound system? can it be hooked up while you're sitting and browsing the web? If you have done that and you're satisfied then great.

The Xbox Live sub has the same argument that getting a Roku or other device specifically for playing movies or music or surfing the web has. Convenience. What you get with the $5 is applications which are supported and updated, as well as access to other functions of the console such as gaming or now programming from cable providers, or sports networks - on demand. If you don't need all that, then you don't need an Xbox. You're not a part of the target audience. You still wouldn't buy an Xbox just to listen to music or watch Netflix even if these apps were free. Why would you when you could buy a cheaper device or use an existing computer to do the same thing? Ah, but if you DO find these 'media center' capabilities in a neat package to be what you want, then Xbox Live does make sense.

Personally, I find that I simply enjoy the application experiences - mostly movies or TV related like Netflix or Amazon - much more from the comfort of my couch with a wireless controller and interface setup for it -- than hooking a laptop or computer up to do the same. A Roku with a remote would be bearable too but I do game occasionally and frankly MS updates their apps more often, so that fits me better. $5 a month doesn't bother me financially, I save by having a cheaper cell phone plan than most people because I don't use much data on that device.
 
g-money said:
Here is my take on Xbox Live - If you do it right its less than $5 a month. For that $5 you are getting access to applications that were developed specifically for that platform - which allows you to enjoy them from the comfort of your living room, or den, or wherever is most comfortable.

Sure, you can play music from your laptop or desktop or tablet using the same internet connection without having a $5 subscription fee. But are have you hooked it up to your living room sound system? can it be hooked up while you're sitting and browsing the web? If you have done that and you're satisfied then great.

The Xbox Live sub has the same argument that getting a Roku or other device specifically for playing movies or music or surfing the web has. Convenience. What you get with the $5 is applications which are supported and updated, as well as access to other functions of the console such as gaming or now programming from cable providers, or sports networks - on demand. If you don't need all that, then you don't need an Xbox. You're not a part of the target audience. You still wouldn't buy an Xbox just to listen to music or watch Netflix even if these apps were free. Why would you when you could buy a cheaper device or use an existing computer to do the same thing? Ah, but if you DO find these 'media center' capabilities in a neat package to be what you want, then Xbox Live does make sense.

Personally, I find that I simply enjoy the application experiences - mostly movies or TV related like Netflix or Amazon - much more from the comfort of my couch with a wireless controller and interface setup for it -- than hooking a laptop or computer up to do the same. A Roku with a remote would be bearable too but I do game occasionally and frankly MS updates their apps more often, so that fits me better. $5 a month doesn't bother me financially, I save by having a cheaper cell phone plan than most people because I don't use much data on that device.
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Which is why a Roku or Apple TV (or whatever streaming solution you prefer) is a better idea for a fraction of the price. I have my Apple TV set up to stream music and videos from my PC, and it does so for free. I can also watch Netflix (or Hulu if I had a subscription to it) at no additional cost. Why can a sub-$100 device do more for free than the supposed media-centric monolith that is just a hair under $500 that then requires an annual subscription on top? Then, I'm admittedly biased as I never liked the idea of paying for Live in the first place.
 
blitzkommando said:
I have my Apple TV set up to stream music and videos from my PC, and it does so for free.
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But this isn't at all the same thing as Xbox Music in that you have access to every song on the service which like 40 million songs and if you pay $10 a month you get unlimited streaming and DRM downloads to 4 devices. Now having to have the Live subscription I can agree with the sentiment there but the music service itself is very nice.
 
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