Apple is trying to make a deal with record companies that would allow it to offer unlimited downloads for iTunes music purchases, reports Bloomberg, citing three people with knowledge of the company's plans.

It's only logical: If you buy an iPhone app in the iTunes App Store, and accidentally erase it or buy a new iPhone, you can download it again. But currently you cannot do that with the music you buy on iTunes, and Apple is pushing to change that.

Apple is negotiating with Vivendi's Universal Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music and EMI. If successful, the deal would allow iTunes users to download music they've purchased to several devices: iPhone, iPod and iPad, for example.

Apple has been trying hard to make iTunes more competitive to various music streaming services, such as Pandora and Grooveshark, where users don't download music at all but instead stream the music for a monthly fee or the inconvenience of seeing a couple of ads.

After getting rid of DRM back in 2007, Apple has recently increased iTunes song previews to 90 seconds and tried (without much success) to add a social networking element to the service with Ping.

The ability to download music you've purchased to more than one device and to have a permanent backup of it online, however, would be a big improvement for iTunes for many users frustrated with iTunes' current limitations.

Are unlimited downloads in iTunes an interesting feature to you? Would it entice you to purchase more music there? Please, share your opinions in the comments.

[via Bloomberg]