Apple Inc. is in talks with record labels to give customers of Apple’s iTunes service unlimited access to music purchased across multiple devices, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing people familiar with the plans.
An agreement might be announced by the middle of this year with companies including Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group Corp. and EMI Group Ltd., the sources said.
The arrangement would help Apple and the labels maintain demand for digital downloads in the face of increasing competition from online services, such as Pandora Media Inc., that allow users to stream songs directly from the Web.
