Apple to Offer Unlimited iTunes Access, Report Says

Apple is currently in negotiations with music companies to provide an unlimited access option to its iTunes store for Apple iPod and iPhone customers, according to a report by The Financial Times. The plan covers music only and would offer customers the opportunity to either pay a one-time lifetime access price to the iTunes' music library, or a monthly subscription fee, according to the report (paid subscription required).

The plan is said to be similar to the "comes with music" plan that Nokia negotiated last December with record labels. Apple is still in talks with music companies regarding how much Apple will pay for access to the complete music library. The Financial Times references sources close to Apple saying that it is currently offering $20 from every iPhone and iPod sold to music companies as compensation. By comparison, this is only a quarter of the $80 Nokia gives for each device sold.

Apple Embraces Subscription Model

The real question is what will be the cost to iTunes customers for the service? Currently, there are plans for both a lifetime access premium, and a monthly subscription fee. For a $100 premium fee, customers can pay to have unlimited access to the complete iTunes library for the lifetime of their device, whether it be an iPhone or iPod. Or for a $7-8 monthly fee customers could have the same unlimited access, though at this time it looks as if the subscription service will only be offered to iPhone customers.

Considering Apple's low offer of $20 from every device sold, the negotiations of this plan are most likely far from over. Hopefully the almost inevitable raise in Apple's offer to music companies won't translate to a huge increase in the subscription price to us at the customer end.

I want to know whether I'd be able to transfer music from an iPhone or iPod to other devices? Would this mean more annoying DRM-protection mucking up digital music files? That's for starters.

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