Rumors of The Beatles Coming to iTunes Renewed Yet Again
A recent report that Apple has scheduled a music-focused media event for September 9th has once again sparked speculation that The Beatles may finally be coming to iTunes. The speculation is primarily driven by the scheduling of several other Beatles-related events on the same day.
In March, EMI Group announced that a Beatles version of the popular Rock Band music-themed video game would be released for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Wii on September 9th. That announcement was followed a month later by news that the entire remastered Beatles catalog would be released on CD on the same day. At the time, EMI Group and Beatles holding company Apple Corps noted only that discussions regarding digital distribution were ongoing.
Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will continue.There is no further information available at this time.
While no further indication from EMI, Apple Corps, or others close to The Beatles or Apple have suggested that an iTunes deal is imminent, the timing of these events has unavoidably resulted in new speculation regarding an agreement.
Rumors of The Beatles coming to iTunes have repeatedly surfaced since Apple's launch of its digital download store. Despite conflict between the two companies over the use of the "Apple" trademark in the music business that stretched into 2007, claims of The Beatles appearing on iTunes have surfaced on a regular basis over the years:
- April 2006: Apple Corps' Neil Aspinall revealed that the company was in the process of remastering the Beatles catalog and preferred not to release Beatles tracks for digital distribution until the remastered versions became available.
- November 2006: Fortune reported that final details of a deal were reportedly being worked out.
- January 2007: Steve Jobs showing Beatles songs during an iPhone demo at Macworld San Francisco and several other unconfirmed reports suggested that a release might occur either on Valentine's Day or Super Bowl Sunday.
- May 2007: Apple announced that Paul McCartney's new solo album would be launched on iTunes, following reports from McCartney himself that The Beatles' catalog would soon be available online.
- August 2007: Speculation that the tag line for Apple's upcoming media event, "The beat goes on," was a reference to The Beatles' final press release renewed rumors of a Beatles-iTunes announcement.
- March 2008: Reports surfaced that Paul McCartney and Apple had struck a $400 million deal to bring The Beatles to iTunes, although the claim was quickly denied by Apple.
- November 2008: McCartney reported that discussions regarding bringing The Beatles to iTunes had "stalled".
Popular Stories
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. However, it is now completely sold out in all countries where it was released.
iPhone Pocket became available to order on Apple's online store starting Friday, November 14, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, ...
Netflix has quietly removed the ability to cast content from its mobile apps to most modern TVs and streaming devices, including newer Chromecast models and the Google TV Streamer.
The change was first spotted by users on Reddit and confirmed in an updated Netflix support page (via Android Authority), which now states that the streaming service no longer supports casting from mobile devices...
Cyber Week is here, and you can find popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more at all-time low prices. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Specifically,...
Apple AI chief John Giannandrea is stepping down from his position and retiring in spring 2026, Apple announced today.
Giannandrea will serve as an advisor between now and 2026, with former Microsoft AI researcher Amar Subramanya set to take over as vice president of AI. Subramanya will report to Apple engineering chief Craig Federighi, and will lead Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and ...
The updated specs of the M5 iPad Pro may point toward a major new feature for Apple's next-generation Studio Display expected in early 2026.
Apple's latest iPad Pro debuted last month and contains one display-related change that stands out: it can now drive external monitors at up to 120Hz with Adaptive Sync. The feature should deliver lower latency, smoother motion, and fewer visual...
While all Macs are now powered by Apple's custom-designed chips, a new rumor claims that Apple may rekindle its partnership with Intel, albeit in a new and limited way.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said Intel is expected to begin shipping Apple's lowest-end M-series chip as early as mid-2027.
Kuo said Apple plans to utilize Intel's 18A process, which is the "earliest...
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season.
Note: MacRumors is...
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through the latest rumors about Apple's upcoming iPad mini 8.
Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos
The next-generation version of the iPad mini is expected to feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple...
