News Did Apple Offer Sony an ITunes Deal?

Now that would be an interesting move on the part of Jobs-san. This from PC World:

Apple Computer Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs offered Nobuyuki Idei, chairman and group CEO of Sony, the chance for Sony to come aboard Apple's ITunes Music Store service, the Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun newspaper reports in its September 2 edition.

The offer would have allowed for joint operation of the service, the newspaper says.

The offer was made when the two met at the Sony Open golf tournament held in Hawaii this January, according to the paper, which quoted unnamed Sony sources.

Jobs is reported to have wanted to bring the Sony brand into the service to maintain a competitive advantage over Microsoft, which launched a beta version of its MSN Music store earlier this week.

Sony declines to comment on the story. Apple spokesperson Teresa Weaver also has no comment. "We don't comment on rumors and speculation," she says.

More here.