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But contrary to rumours, Apple's iTunes Store will not have exclusive access to the recordings.

'It will be on all the services, not just one,' Aspinall told Fox News.

The Beatles' company, Apple Corps, which Aspinall runs, and Apple, Inc, recently settled all outstanding trademark disputes with its namesake. The agreement appears to have removed all remaining obstacles to the release of Beatles' downloads to as wide an audience as possible.

According to an unsubstantiated Marketwatch article, an announcement could be made next week - though

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previous rumours have identified tomorrow, Valentine's Day - and will include 'something big'.

'Really big. Like ... maybe ... new Beatles tracks we haven't heard ... which will be sold through iTunes and will not be protected by digital rights technology,' the business website claims, suggesting that Apple CEO Steve Jobs' recent statement of antipathy to DRM might have been 'to build support, perhaps inside the music industry, for sales of unprotected tracks'.

While admitting that he is merely following 'breadcrumbs, Marketwatch's Frank Barnako thinks there is a reason for Jobs' uncharacteristic insight into his thinking.

'Apple is a company that is secretive beyond belief, yet it's been very public with comments in the last few weeks,' he wrote. 'There's gotta be a reason. I think Steve Jobs is setting up to make history again.'

Steve Redmond, director of the Official UK Charts Company, believes that The Beatles could make top 40 history when they make their download debut, because of recent changes to the way the charts are compiled to include all downloads, regardless of whether they are formally released as singles.

'The significance of this new rule change in the charts is it's entirely possible that you could end up with the top 10 in the singles chart entirely dominated by Beatles tracks,' he said.