It’s looking like the Beatles catalog will finally be available for legal download.

Record company EMI Group PLC said Sunday it planned to unveil “an exciting new digital offering” with computer company Apple Inc., raising expectations that The Beatles’ music catalog is about to be made available through Apple’s iTunes online music store.

EMI said it would hold a news conference Monday at its London headquarters with its chief executive, Eric Nicoli, and Apple boss Steve Jobs “and a special live performance.” The company gave no further details.

EMI has been The Beatles’ record label since the early 1960s. The Beatles have so far been the most prominent holdout from iTunes and other online music services, and Apple’s overtures to put the music online were stymied by a long-running trademark dispute with The Beatles’ commercial guardian, Apple Corps. Ltd.

This is very interesting and, clearly, the Beatles remain a huge franchise more than forty years after their breakup. Still, it’s not as if Beatles songs haven’t been available for ripping to digital format.