Following the SA launch on Windows 8, a Microsoft SA representative has told MyGaming and MyBroadband that the Xbox Music service will be launching in South Africa soon – the word imminent was even bandied about.<\/p>\n
There is no projected date for the launch of the service. Information on the list of available SA artists is still under wraps until the official launch is confirmed.<\/p>\n
Microsoft said they would be happy to launch Xbox Music along with the launch Windows 8 with the amount of content they have now. Microsoft clarified that local licensing is not holding up the launch.<\/p>\n
The Microsoft representative said that it is standard rollout practice to tier the launch – which is why certain countries will be receiving the service before others. SA is however in line for the service to launch soon.<\/p>\n
Another interesting detail worth noting is that SA swimming legend Chad le Clos was on stage to present his experience with a Windows 8 tablet PC, and said to much laughter that “The great thing about Xbox Music is that you can download music without using illegal sites.”<\/p>\n
Microsoft’s spokesperson explained that Le Clos is one of the people “dogfooding” Xbox Music for South Africa – a term Microsoft uses as short hand for “eating our own dogfood.”<\/p>\n
The Xbox Music service is a rebranding of the now mostly discontinued Zune service, and is scheduled for deployment elsewhere on the planet on 26 October, alongside the Windows 8 release.<\/p>\n
The service will be supported not only on Xbox 360 consoles, but also Windows PCs, tablets, and smartphones, with expansion to iOS and Android devices later.<\/p>\n
Xbox Music debuts from Microsoft<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Microsoft issues rules for game content usage<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Microsoft dumping MS Points currency with Windows 8?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n