Amazon is looking to launch own-brand portable music players and a music-download service to rival Apple's iTunes Music Store - perhaps as early as this summer - according to The Wall Street Journal.

The world's top online retailer - with annual net sales or $8.49 billion reported in its 2005 financial results - is, said to be,

"In advanced talks with the four global music companies about a digital-music service with a range of features designed to set it apart. Among them: Amazon-branded portable music players, designed and built for the retailer, and a subscription service that would deeply discount and preload those devices with songs, not unlike mobile phones that are included with subscription plans as part of the deal."
Check out this HEXUS.headline then let us know in the HEXUS.community whether or not you'd welcome such moves by Amazon.