Apple in talks to sell iPods and iPhones with unlimited.....
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Apple in talks to sell iPods and iPhones with unlimited access to its music library
Radical: The iPhone and iPod could soon be sold with unlimited musicApple is considering selling iPods and iPhones offering unlimited access to all six million songs on its iTunes site.
Customers would pay a £50 premium for the service. But they would only have to download 64 tracks at the current price of 79p each to be in profit.
The flat fee is one of two options being considered by U.S.-based Apple for the launch of what is being dubbed the “all you can eat” deal.
The second would require a monthly subscription of £3 to £4 for unlimited access to iTunes.
At present, customers pay for each download separately.
Apple is understood to be in negotiation with the music giants over a revenue-sharing deal.
The companies would receive, say, £30 from the purchase of each iPod or iPhone or a share of the monthly subscription.
If adopted, the flat-fee scheme would put the price of a 4GB iPod Nano up to £149.
It is thought free downloads would be permitted with the device's estimated lifespan of five years.
Apple's plan echoes the Comes With Music package offered by the mobile phone firm Nokia, which has a downloads agreement with music giant Universal.
Nokia has signed a deal with Universal Music to offer unlimited downloads to mobile handsets, while talks are under way with other industry leaders.
It is claimed that Nokia will pay the music companies £40 for each handset sold.
The Nokia music store includes millions of songs from artists including Elton John and Bon Jovi and Amy Winehouse.
But Apple's database is far bigger. Consequently, it will be a complex task to win approval from the more than 2,000 record labels it works with.
The music business is keen to see subscription models introduced to make up for falling CD sales.
Source: Daily Mail UK, Mar. 19, 2008
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Pay in Pounds... means not available for us. But this deal sounds good. Shall see how everything calculates out.