Puretracks will begin selling songs in unrestricted MP3 format, taking square aim at iTunes' marketshare, reports The Globe & Mail.

Puretracks will make songs from EMI Group available as MP3s under a newly-signed deal between the two. The goal of Puretracks is to make songs available for playback on any device, something other online music stores have been loath to do.

EMI songs from Puretracks will cost $1.29, a bit over the $.99 standard set by iTunes.

Puretracks founder Alistair Mitchell hopes the move forces other labels and stores to do likewise, freeing users from being beholden to the iPod as the sole portable music option.