Microsoft will be launching the Xbox Music service, which was announced at E3 this year, towards the end of this month according to a report from The Verge.
The report cites “multiple sources” who say that Microsoft is preparing to send the service into the wild on 26 October, dropping it on the same date that Windows 8 launches for the company. The timing would make sense, especially since Xbox Music is expected to become available on Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and the Xbox 360 console.
There will apparently be two variants of Xbox Music, one being a premium paid-for option and the other taking the free, ad-supported route. The company’s SkyDrive service will be integrated, allowing users to store music and playlists in the cloud.
A Dashboard update will apparently be issued for Microsoft’s console on the Windows 8 launch day to enable Xbox Music but Microsoft is also looking to eventually expand the service to other, external platforms like iOS and Android.