Andre Yoskowitz
14 Jul 2009 3:03
According to a Telegraph report, Microsoft is set to launch their own streaming music site which will offer free streaming and pay-for downloads.
Peter Bale, executive producer of MSN, Microsoft’s news and entertainment portal, adds: “Music is an important area for Microsoft. We are looking at launching a music streaming service imminently. It will be a similar principle to Spotify but we are still examining how the business model will work.”
Spotify allows for free streaming as well, but users must listen to a minute of advertising every 30 minutes of playback. Users can also purchase a premium account for £9.99 a month which removes the ads.
Says Bale, via the Telegraph: “We are looking at how other similar businesses have structured their business models and trying to figure out what will work best for both consumer and Microsoft.”
The official also noted that service could eventually be tied directly to Xbox Live but did not elaborate.