What would a week be without an Apple rumor? This week’s is that Apple will be beging offering its DRM-Free iTunes tracks from EMI at some point over the next few days. Normally Apple rolls out updates on Tuesday, but seeing as that is tomorrow and there have been relatively few reports on this so far, it could be later in the week – if at all.

The songs will be $1.29 a pop and will be encoded in 256Kbps quality using the AAC format. Word is that you will be allowed to ‘upgrade’ your iTunes-bought old-school DRM tracks to the new format for the .30 difference.

Here’s an idea for Apple and the record companies: what if they allowed for the upgrade of pirated tracks to the new format for the same $.30? I realize pirated tracks are DRM-free already, but perhaps some customers will want to legitimize their collections with this new pro-music, anti-DRM deal.

While such an amnesty agreement might not seem that beneficial for Apple or the companies (people could just run out and download the illegal track just to get the upgraded one for $.30 instead of shelling out the original $1.29… ), it would be good PR and would allow them to collect something off of music that was formerly gotten for free. Just a thought…