Microsoft retired its Groove Music streaming service last year, but promised to keep investing in the app for Windows 10 users. That investment won’t continue for iOS and Android users, though. “Tomorrow we’re notifying customers that on December 1, 2018, the Groove Music iOS and Android apps will also be retired and, effective June 1, are no longer available for download,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge.
The app removal means you’ll no longer be able to use Groove Music as a locker service to access MP3s or other audio files from Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud service. However, Microsoft says music files will “continue to be available and playable on OneDrive” and other apps can access them. That’s not the same type of experience (with album art and music controls) that Groove Music users have come to expect, but Microsoft has obviously given up on offering a music app across major mobile platforms.
Comments
Hmmm maybe I should switch from Office 365 to Google Drive for music locker (I know it’s free but then again Google Photos is really good).
I have zero confidence in Microsoft as a consumer brand, so no more Andromeda BS for me anymore.
By timttn on 05.31.18 1:01pm
They are focus on what it works… So Office 365 will be even better over the time!
By PdroPM on 05.31.18 1:54pm
Better than the crap it is now isn’t saying much
By Daemon11 on 05.31.18 5:19pm
So then what exactly do you claim to be better!?
By Hyppokrates on 05.31.18 9:08pm
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
By mguniverse on 05.31.18 10:39pm
lol.. no.
By EleMenTfiNi on 06.01.18 4:38am
Google Docs and stuff are good and can get most jobs done and collaboration works well, but Office is still miles ahead in functionality. It’s things like not being able to auto advanced slides and loop a presentation is asinine.
By wixostrix on 06.01.18 5:28pm
This will be a problem for me if there is no third-party replacement by December. Does anyone know of other iOS apps that have OneDrive Music streaming built-in?
By Enema Stone on 05.31.18 1:03pm
No, there isn’t any. They didn’t open up that music library/streaming API. There’s OneDrive file access API but that won’t be the same, isn’t it.
Better just switch to iTunes Match, Google Play, or iBroadcast. I’m glad I prepared for this.
By timttn on 05.31.18 1:11pm
Actually, I believe they do. After trying many apps I found this one:
"Weve Cloud Music"
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cliquer.weve.cloudmusic.android
It looks like a Groove clone but also works with Google Drive and support local songs. DoubleTwist is good but it’s not free.
By Vin Gerry on 06.03.18 7:14pm
DoubleTwist advertises their CloudPlayer can draw from OneDrive, but I’ve never used the streaming side of that app before.
By ench on 05.31.18 1:51pm
CloudPlayer is excellent. I’ve never used it on iOS, but I have found it far superior to Groove on Android for a while now. For one, Groove couldn’t browse albums by artist which drove me crazy (even though Groove on W10/W10M could). CloudPlayer also has Android Auto support, radio support, and is more customizable than Groove.
By jhoff80 on 05.31.18 1:57pm
Noted, thank you!
(Really is sad to see good services perish, as well as the Mobile version of Windows 10, that really had so much potential)
By Jes Conradsen on 05.31.18 2:03pm
DoubleTwist has no iOS apps it seems. Dang.
By Entegy on 05.31.18 2:20pm
Ah, my mistake. I did a quick search to see if it was in the App Store but didn’t click on the link… and yeah, the hit that came up is entirely unaffiliated.
By jhoff80 on 05.31.18 2:25pm
That’s weird… I started using the app originally as an iTunes replacement. Hmm.
By ench on 05.31.18 3:30pm
By VoxMediaUser1083125 on 05.31.18 1:43pm
GROOVE IS DEAD
By MARK-MY-WORDS on 05.31.18 1:57pm
Groove was never alive
By Shadeslayer on 05.31.18 2:06pm
Microsoft fan here, but I agree, Groove app for Android was very poor compared with other Android music apps, it couldn’t even play your music from your microSD card, what a junk of software!
By Gabriel Hernandez6 on 06.01.18 1:57pm
It’s as better than Google Play Music that has virtually no sorting ability and hell bent on keeping me away from my music collection. But by no means was Groove an excellent app on Android.
By wixostrix on 06.01.18 5:31pm
Groove as a streaming service is dead. Groove on anything except Windows is dead.
Groove is sill the default music player on Windows, still plays your One Drive music out of the box on Windows. Its a pretty nice player for local/One Drive content.
By pallentx on 06.01.18 12:21pm
Well, that sucks. I actually use that. Hopefully, they keep it on Xbox.
By pallentx on 05.31.18 2:06pm
The Android & iOS apps were terrible. The "Groove Music" branding was a terrible idea from the start.
By astroWZRD on 05.31.18 2:12pm
I never understood the point of Groove. It’s not like they were even trying to compete with Spotify or Apple Music. We’re they really at all serious about it or did I completely miss their attempts at building the brand?
By quarterburn on 05.31.18 2:22pm