Apple introduced the Wi-Fi Music Store on Wednesday. Customers with the iPod touch will be able to purchase songs on iTunes, via Wi-Fi. The feature will come to the iPhone later this month. Apple also announced an exclusive partnership with Starbucks for music downloads and free access to the Wi-Fi Music Store.

The Wi-Fi store will be available in 22 countries where the iTunes store is available. Songs purchased via Wi-Fi will be synced back to the host Mac when next connected to the dock. If users have only partially downloaded a song or album onto their iPod touch or iPhone, their computer will complete the download automatically, according to Apple.

"The iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store is really fun -- you can browse, search, freely preview, buy and instantly download music right onto your iPod touch or iPhone," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Innovative products like this keep iTunes at the forefront of the digital music revolution."

A software update will make this service available to iPhone users later this month.

Apple has also been working with Starbucks for two months on a service that will cause a new button to appear when the iPod/iPhone customer walks into a Starbucks. Any song currently playing can be purchased right on the spot.

Apple and Starbucks jointly announced that iTunes access will be free in Starbucks stores. Howard Schultz, founder and chairman of Starbucks, on stage with Mr. Jobs, said that the number one request they have received is, "what song is that playing?"

After its debut in New York and Seattle on October 2, the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store will continue its national rollout to 350 Starbucks stores in the San Francisco Bay area on November 7; 500 stores in Los Angeles in early February 2008; 300 stores in Chicago in March 2008; and additional markets throughout the US later in 2008, Apple said.

This article will be updated if more information becomes available.