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Currently iPhone - as well as iPod touch - users can download songs over Wi-Fi, but not using the phone's mobile connection, largely because of the limited bandwidth provided by its "2.75G" EDGE technology. That would however change with the introduction of a 3G iPhone, which most commentators expect to see introduced within weeks.

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs will open

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the company's developers' conference on 9 June, and according to the New York Times' blog post, is keen to launch new mobile music services at the same time as unveiling a new iPhone.

"They want a big launch in June," one label executive told the US newspaper.

Apple is also said to be interested in expanding the iPhone's ringtone options and in adding answer tones, or ringback tones, the sound a caller hears while waiting for a call to be answered. Discussions about an iPhone subscriptions service are also said to be ongoing. Universal Music is thought to want Apple to sell iPhone and iPod models that provide access to record labels' entire digital catalogue for up to two years. However Apple's valuation of the service is considerably lower than the labels', the blog post says.

Apple declined to comment.