According to Bloomberg, who spoke to "three people with knowledge of the plans," Apple is in talks with the record companies to provide customers with the ability to download any purchased song as many times as they want or need.
Apps can already be downloaded multiple times. Apple's current deal with record companies restricts downloads to one per purchases. Apple is charged for each download. Recent reports that show digital music sales stalling as users turn to free streaming sources may influence the music companies to work with Apple, so that customers have more incentive to purchase music.
Bloomberg reports that such a deal would let iTunes users hold a permanent backup of their purchased music, as well as letting various devices linked to one account download previously purchased music. It would be iTunes' first step into the cloud.
Rumors suggest that the change might come alongside a revamped MobileMe, Apple's $99 a year online storage service. In the makeover, MobileMe would become free and allow all Apple devices to access files--music, movies and more--right off the cloud.
Apple bought streaming music service Lala back in 2009, sparking speculation that they might be considering changes to their music model. Furthering the rumors is Apple's recently purchased $1 billion data center in North Carolina, which Apple confirmed will be used to support iTunes, and MobileMe.