Groove Update: Microsoft Releases First Major Update Of Music App For Android, iOS

Microsoft released its first-ever major update for the Groove apps on iOS and Android devices Monday, with most of the improvements that were already included in the Windows 10 version of the app.

The company has regularly updated its music app on Windows 10 over the course of the Anniversary Update development cycle, making that version of the app the best on any platform with music discovery features like Your Groove and Explore.

However, the versions for Android and the iPhone have seen no change since their initial releases last September, giving them an outdated look.

In a statement addressing the iOS and Android updates, Microsoft said: “We realize having your music with you on all of your devices is important and we’re committed to keeping the Groove app updated more regularly going forward.”

Along with significant improvements to the product in the form of playback reliability and faster downloads, the screen resolution has been improved to support larger-screen smartphones. New sorting options are being made available to the users, in addition to the Explore feature from the Windows update.

However, the update includes fixes in sync that will require users to rebuild their collections from scratch. As the changes are significant, “the database must be rebuilt in order to move forward,” Ellen Kilbourne, a Microsoft support engineer, said in the statement.