Unlimited iTunes downloads for your iPod?

Reuben Lee | Mar 21, 2008

Imagine paying a fixed fee to gain unlimited free access to the entire iTunes music library. Well, like we said, you can imagine. Though that said, there's always been a seed of hope among the rumors floating on the Web about a subscription-based model for iTunes downloads, for the longest time ever. And now it seems it may finally happen if negotiations with the record companies go as planned.

According to the report from Financial Times, Apple is in talks with the music labels on introducing a new business model that will give users unlimited music downloads from its iTunes service for the entire lifespan of the device. Users will, however, have to pay a one-time premium during the purchase of the players (in this case, the iPod or iPhone). The main issue, it seems, is on the agreement over how much Apple will have to pay the record companies for each player sold. It is reported that Apple is offering only US$20 for every device, a far cry from the US$80 per handset that Nokia is paying to the music companies. Apple is said to be considering a monthly subcription fee model as well.

While it's still too early to predict when the Cupertino company will eventually launch this new iTunes business model (or if it will even happen in the first place), it will be interesting to see how such a service will impact the music industry, especially the whole digital music download business.

Sadly, there's still no word from the US-centric Apple on when iTunes will launch in the rest of Asia, barring Japan and Australia. And the computer giant has said before that there is no prospect of an iTunes rollout in the near future. So for those still waiting patiently for iTunes to reach their shores, it might very well be a matter of waiting till the cows come home.

Via Financial Times

Filed under: Music & Play
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