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APOLOGY: Sony Music has apologised for the price increase of Whitney's music

SONY UK has apologised for the 60 percent price hike in Whitney Houston's music on iTunes following her sudden death on Saturday.

Fans of the late star were outraged when the cost of her The Ultimate Collection and The Greatest Hitsalbums rose from £4.99 to £7.99 and £7.99 to £9.99, respectively.

"Whitney Houston product was mistakenly mispriced on the UK iTunes store on Sunday," the music label told Billboard.

"When discovered, the mistake was immediately corrected. We apologise for any offence caused," they added.

The music industry publication quoted a source at Sony saying the price hike was an "internal mistake due to an employee error" and noted that only iTunes in the UK was affected.

Whitney's body was found in the bathtub of her fourth-floor room at the Beverly Hills hotel on Saturday. She had been staying there ahead of Sunday's Grammy Awards ceremony.

The 48-year-old is believed to have died from a combination of Xanax and other prescription drugs, which had been mixed with alcohol, family sources told gossip site, TMZ.

The I Will Always Love You star will be laid to rest on Saturday in New Jersey.