First screenshots of Windows 10 Music app, design bears striking similarities to Spotify

First screenshots of Windows 10 Music app, design bears striking similarities to Spotify

Microsoft has been offering previews and beta versions of Windows 10 for some time now, but it had not yet shared any information on the overhaul of its Music app. 

Technically, it still hasn’t as The Verge followed found a support page for the Xbox listing details of the new app and some basic information on how it will work. 

The design of the app appears to be remarkably similar to Spotify’s UI in terms of background colour, arrangement of the functions and the emphasis on artist visuals. Sure, there are only so many ways to arrange the look of a music streaming service but the similarities here are substantial. 

However, it should also be pointed out that Xbox’s general UI is not too dissimilar to that displayed here and that dark backgrounds are a feature. 

For now, all the screenshots and the support page reveal is that the app will aggregate users’ own MP3 libraries (including the music copied to OneDrive) but will also integrate the Xbox Music catalogue for those users who subscribe to the service (although, as reported a few weeks back, the Xbox name may be soon dropped from the music service). 

Whilst information is still sparse, this small internal ‘leak’ indicates that Microsoft is keen to keep its Music app up-to-speed with the offerings of Spotify, Rdio and - in the near future - Apple. 

 

(Andrea Leonelli)