So we know that Microsoft is beginning to move away from the Zune brand, but what will they have as a replacement? According to “unknown sources”, it seems that Microsoft is planning some kind of cross-platform service that has been given the codename “Woodstock” and it will supposedly be unveiled at E3 later this year. This particular service will be replacing Zune and will support a variety of platforms such as Windows 8, Xbox, Android, and even iOS. Oddly enough there was no mention of what Microsoft plans to do with Windows Phone, so perhaps Windows Phone could be seeing something different entirely.
Woodstock is also expected to feature browser playback and will also see a similar service like iTunes Match where users will be able to identify existing music tracks via the service. Woodstock has also been rumored to be dipping its toes into the social networking scene such as Facebook where groups of friends will be able to build playlists and share music with each other. The rumored new service is scheduled for launch later in 2012 but unfortunately no word on pricing or the availability of additional details yet. Until then we suggest taking this with a grain of salt.