Microsoft is making its Xbox Music streaming service available for free on the Web even to those who don't use Windows 8.
The expansion beyond Windows 8 devices and Xbox game consoles starting Monday is intended to bring new customers into the software giant's ecosystem of devices and services and could help it compete with other digital music offerings like Pandora, Spotify and iTunes. It's also an acknowledgement that the music service hasn't done much to drive sales of the Windows 8 operating system.
The move represents another step toward Microsoft's goal of becoming a company that sells devices and services, rather than primarily software, said Michael Turits, an analyst with financial advisory firm Raymond James. It comes on the heels of Microsoft announcing it would buy the mobile phone handset manufacturing business of Nokia Corp. for $7.2 billion and that CEO Steve Ballmer would step down within 12 months.
"They've said they're going to be a devices and services company. We know they want to be a device company since they're buying the Nokia phone division," he said. "This kind of thing gives more credibility to the idea they'll be more of a services company as well."
Most buyers of the new Windows 8 operating system discovered Xbox Music because it's the default player for music files that people have imported from elsewhere, according to Xbox Music general manager Jerry Johnson. Opening it up to the broader public would give more people a chance to see the benefits of having multiple devices linked to Microsoft's platform. Its music service, for example, will save favorites and playlists across PCs, Windows Phones and Xbox game consoles.
