Reports are emerging that Apple is planning a complete overhaul of its iTunes service. This is good news for Apple fans because, even though it’s the world’s biggest music store, the overall design and utility of iTunes at present is awful.

People often gush about the late Steve Jobs’ obsession with the user experience, but he must have been on holidays when Apple launched iTunes, because as a long time user I find it increasingly difficult to navigate and search, especially when looking to rent a movie or download an app.

Apple will, according to Bloomberg, integrate its cloud storage service iCloud with iTunes. This will allow iTunes users easier access to their purchased music, videos and apps across different Apple devices (iPhone, iPad and iMac for example).

Currently the iTunes store houses over 28 million songs, 45,000 films and 650,000 apps. With such a vast array of content, it is easy for the user to get ‘lost’ and Apple’s planned overhaul of the service is much needed. There will be changes to how people find music, how they access what they have bought and how they can share songs with people (a popular feature on the world’s second biggest music store Spotify).

It appears Apple is in talks with the major record labels for the rights to allow iTunes users share songs with friends, for free. Apple has also asked music labels for more band photos and videos that can be included on iTunes.

A proper iTunes overhaul would be welcomed. Apple must change its tune, so to speak, and allow iTunes users greater flexibility to discover and share music, unless it wants to hand more market share to music streaming services such as Spotify and video on demand companies such as Netflix. The iTunes re-design is expected by the end of 2012.