Microsoft Xbox Music Renamed 'Groove'

The software giant on Monday announced that with the release of Windows 10 later this month, Xbox Music will be renamed Groove to make things more "intuitive" for users of the new operating system. Xbox Video will simply be known as Movies & TV, "making the content in the app more identifiable for our broad customer base," Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc wrote in a blog post.

You'll see the new names first on Windows 10 PCs before they roll out to other devices in the "coming months."

"We've kept a keen eye on our existing entertainment fans to make sure the experiences which they enjoy and subscribe to today, will continue without any interruptions," LeBlanc wrote.

Alongside its refreshed name, Grovve is getting some new features, including redesigned menus and navigation controls suited for either a mouse and keyboard or touch screens and built-in OneDrive integration so you can access your music across devices. If you want to listen without ads, you'll have to shell out $10 a month or $99 a year for a Groove Music Pass subscription, which also gives you unlimited access to stream and download music from the Windows Store and the ability to create custom radio stations.

Meanwhile, on the movie and TV front, Microsoft promised that its new app in Windows 10 will be "better than ever for playing all your personal videos, as well as all the movies and TV shows you love." You'll be able to import your personal videos and playback content with an app designed for both desktops and mobile devices.

The newly named Movies & TV service will also be fully integrated with the Windows Store, where you can buy or rent programs. With the app, you'll be able to start watching purchased or rented content on one device and pick up where you left off on another.

:story: PC Magazine