Electronista is reporting that "according to French sources familiar with negotiations for multiple online music stores," Apple is set to drop EMI's DRM-free catalog onto iTunes this week. Techs are entering the last stages of encoding and prepping the files to go live.

While previous statements seemed to indicate a gradual release starting this month, the kinda-but-not-really late release is in part due to a desire to dump the whole catalog at once.

Also partly to blame is EMI's recent wheelings and dealings with Amazon, which may have kept Apple and EMI from finalizing their deal until last week. In sum, keep your eyes open but hopes only moderately skyward on Tuesday. They'll get there eventually. – Matt Buchanan

DRM-free iTunes set this week? [Electronista]

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