HomeWinBuzzer NewsMicrosoft to Axe Groove Music's iOS and Android Apps in December

Microsoft to Axe Groove Music’s iOS and Android Apps in December

Groove Music will become unusable on December 1st, with users encouraged to use OneDrive for their personal music. The decision follows the end of Groove Music Pass last year.

-

In a sad but somewhat expected move, will retire its apps on and iOS. They will become unusable on December 1, 2018, though user's personal music will still be available in OneDrive.

The tech giant put an end to its ‘Music Pass' subscription pass last October, causing a widespread upset. It became a glorified local music player, and we noted then that it would struggle to compete with default offerings.

Despite the withdrawal, Microsoft will continue to update its apps on , Windows Phone, and Xbox as promised. However, with cross-device compatibility, it's likely the userbase will fall there too. The truth is that many users have migrated to Spotify as suggested, preferring a unified streaming experience.

The Competition

The app has been available on Xbox One since last August, letting users play background music to complement their gaming. In April, it gave more features to free users, allowing unlimited skips on some playlists and AI-driven suggestions.

Meanwhile, Google is honing its own streaming and local music services, and will soon launch YouTube music. Music is largely stagnant but remains a popular choice on iOS due to its extensive library.

In short, Groove Music was doomed to fail. Microsoft was too late to the market with Music Pass, doesn't have enough of a hold on mobile, and its local music features are average. While we suspect the app will remain on Windows 10 devices for some time, further integration with third-party streaming services may be its best bet.

You can read more about the app's demise on the support site.

SourceMicrosoft
Ryan Maskell
Ryan Maskellhttps://ryanmaskell.co.uk
Ryan has had a passion for gaming and technology since early childhood. Fusing the skills from his Creative Writing and Publishing degree with profound technical knowledge, he enjoys covering news about Microsoft. As an avid writer, he is also working on his debut novel.

Recent News