Apple is entering a new music era this year, after announcing several changes to its iTunes Store, namely song prices, DRM-free songs and the possibility to download songs directly on the iPhone 3G for the same price as downloading from a computer.

 

The company announced the availability of DRM-free songs from all four major labels, Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Warner Music Group and EMI, as well as from other independent music labels, in what they called iTunes Plus format.

 

Not only that, but the prices of the songs have also gone down significantly, and starting this April, users will be able to purchase them for one of the three price tags: 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29. However, most albums will remain priced at $9.99.

 

Furthermore, users will also be able to upgrade their entire purchased library to DRM-free iTunes Plus songs with a simple one-click option, Apple said.

 

Eight million of the ten million songs in the iTunes library will be available in DRM-free format as of today, and the company promised the rest of the songs will be available by the end of March.

 

iPhone 3G users also have a reason to be happy about, as they will have complete access to the iTunes Store library, from which they will be able to download songs directly onto their phones through their 3G network, at the same prices mentioned earlier.

 

iTunes Music Store opened in April 2003 and the one-billionth song was purchased in February 2006. Last year, the iTunes Store became the largest music retailer in the United States.