Following developments earlier this year in which Apple CEO Steve Jobs began publicly asking record companies to drop DRM requirements for iTunes sales, Apple has struck a deal with EMI to offer DRM-free music on iTunes. In announcing the Apple deal with EMI, Jobs made clear that the iTunes move toward DRM-free downloads will expand well beyond the EMI music library.

In a move that could have a big impact on online music, Apple and EMI announced Monday that iTunes would begin selling most of EMI’s library both with and without copy protection. The Beatles’ music, which has not been available for online sales, was specifically excluded from the deal.
The announcement means that at least some non-iPod devices will now be able to play songs from iTunes.

At a joint press conference in London, Apple CEO Steve Jobs and EMI CEO Eric Nicoli said that EMI tracks would be available worldwide in May without digital-rights management (DRM) and at a higher quality (256 Kbps versus the 128 Kbps of current iTunes songs).