EMI hopes to join Nokia unlimited music deal

EMI is eager to join Nokia's controversial Comes With Music service, the music label said today in a press conference. The company has revealed that discussions are underway which would add EMI's catalog to the current offerings, which are limited to tracks from Universal. Without detailing the progress of talks, EMI's Finland head Wemppa Koivumaki said he hoped his firm's music would be in place for the official Comes With Music launch in the latter half of 2008.

"We want to be part of it," he said. "I believe strongly that when it launches we will be there, with a full offering."

The news adds momentum to Nokia's plan, which would have customers pay an added fee for their cellphones in return for unlimited downloads of any songs in the Comes With Music Library for the space of a year. Nokia has not settled its final terms but has already explained that any downloads during that year will be the user's to keep and that a subscription renewal fee is likely to be available after the year expires.

Reportedly, Apple has been discussing a similar model for iTunes that would let customers pay more for an iPhone or iPod to have unlimited access to iTunes downloads over a set period.

Filed under: industry
Other story tags: iTunes, Nokia, Universal, Comes With Music, EMI