The love affair between record labels and Apple Computer Inc could be headed for the rocks as they bicker over prices ahead of licensing renegotiations set for early next year.
The licensing agreements between Apple, maker of the wildly popular iPod digital music player and operator of the most widely used music download service, and the record labels are set to expire next spring.
Both sides, which have benefited enormously from music sales created by the iPod phenomenon, are jockeying for position.
Apple's chief executive Steve Jobs, believed by some to be the savior of the music industry, insists that prices should be uniform at 99 cents a song and $9.99 an album, saying that the buying experience for consumers should be simple.
Record executives, however, are seeking some flexibility in prices, including the ability to charge more for some songs and less for others, the way they do in the traditional retail world.
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