Apple is working on a new plan to bring customers closer to digital music and the iTunes Store by discussing with major music companies the possibility of offering unlimited music service in return for paying a premium for the iPod and iPhone music devices, The Financial Times (requires subscription) reports.

The company refused to comment on the new strategy of making its devices even more appealing to the public, but according to the same newspaper, people familiar to the deal said at the center of discussions was the price Apple would have to pay for unlimited access to the libraries of the music companies they planned to bring on board.

Of course, Apple decided to take this step after carefully assessing market possibilities and customers’ availability to such an offer. As it appears, people are drawn by these types of offers and would be willing to pay a $100 premium for a device if that includes unlimited access to music or $7 - $8 for a subscription model.

The initiative is not the first of its kind between a device maker and music labels, as Nokia already took on the “comes with music” deal with some of the largest names in the music industry. The announcement came last year, when Nokia announced it teamed up with Universal to offer customers phones bundled with the right to download an unlimited number of Universal’s songs for a year.

It is time for Apple to reinvent its business strategy and boost iTunes sales, as well as device sales. It is said that so far, there is still a financial issue that needs to be solved. According to The Financial Times, Apple is ready to offer four times less than Nokia per handset: just $20 compared to Nokia’s $80. “It’s who blinks first, and whether or not anyone does blink,” one executive reportedly said.