Microsoft Rumored To Be Working On Expanding Xbox Music, Looking To Take On iTunes … Again

It seems like everyone’s trying to take on Apple’s iTunes hub these days. It seems like Microsoft is gearing up to take on Apple again, just like they did when they announced the Zune marketplace. This time, however, the service will tie into the Xbox and the new Xbox Music service, and join the Spotify/Rdio model with the iTunes model. It’s rumored that it will be  a streaming service (like Spotify), with download and online storage services much like iTunes Match.

From Bloomberg:

By combining the best features of competing services, Microsoft seeks to build a digital product that lets customers consume music any way they like. The maker of the Xbox console is building the new music business after its unsuccessful effort with the Zune service, which will close and move customers to Xbox Music, the company said on its website.

Bloomberg is reporting that Microsoft is currently in negotiations with Universal, Warner Music, Sony, and EMI. Of course, everyone’s denying comment at this point, including Microsoft.

It’s pretty bizarre that a company that just got out of the music business and the Zune system is looking to jump right back into the fray with an Xbox music service. These days media deals are essential to the success of a mobile platform, but given Microsoft’s fairly recent failure, it’s just outright absurd that the company is looking to turn around and do it all again.

Joshua is the Content Marketing Manager at BuySellAds. He’s also the founder of Macgasm.net. And since all that doesn’t quite give him enough content to wrangle, he’s also a technology journalist in his spare time, with bylines at PCWorld, Macworld and TechHive.