Having already failed to penetrate the music digital download market in recent years with a credible rival to Apple's iTunes ,Sony is back for round two with a new music download service that will use the PlayStation 3 as a starting point.

The Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation has tried to take a bite of the Apple before with Sony Connect, which it claimed was the "world’s largest online music download store." The service closed in 2008 after Sony admitted defeat following huge demand for the iTunes service.

The Financial Times reports that the new subscription based music and video service will be available next year and will eventually expand to other media, including Bravia TVs and Sony Ericsson mobile phones.

"Sony would use its PlayStation games consoles as the starting point for a new service that users will be able to use across a range of other Internet-connected devices. That could include Walkman music players, Vaio computers, Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players and Sony Ericsson mobile phones," reads the report.

Is it little too late for Sony in a market totally dominated by iTunes?