Apple to launch ringtone service for iPhone users

[AppleInsider]

Apple during its media event next Wednesday plans to unveil a new ringtone service that will allow iPhone users to turn almost any song sold through iTunes into a ringtone for an additional fee, according to the NY Post.

While the exact pricing for the service is unclear at this point, a source suggested to the New York paper that the ringtones may be marketed as enhanced downloads in much the same way Apple offers high-quality, unprotected music files from EMI.

Apple will also allow users to convert songs they have previously purchased through iTunes into a ringtone.

"In a new twist, iPhone users will have the ability to choose any part of the song they want as their ringtone," the Post said. "Most major ringtone offerings from Verizon, AT&T or Sprint feature pre-determined samples."

For consumers who don't want to design personalized ringtones, Apple will reportedly also sell traditional music ringtones.

Revenues from the sale of ringtones in the U.S. topped $600 million in 2006, up from $68 million in 2003, according to BMI, a collection society for songwriters and publishers. Meanwhile, worldwide sales last year are reported to have totaled $3.5 billion.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[ Digg this story ]

[Louzer]

Thank god! Because the lack of ringtones is what's keeping this phone down!

Apple during its media event next Wednesday plans to unveil a new ringtone service that will allow iPhone users to turn almost any song sold through iTunes into a ringtone for an additional fee, according to the NY Post.

But what about songs not sold through the iTMS. And why does it cost any money at all to take one of your legally purchased songs and make a ringtone out of it?

And is it going to cost the same, if not more, for a ringtone then the complete version of a song?

[waytogobuddy]

Pay twice for my media?

They've got to be joking.

[BdeRWest]

Hey has anyone noticed the ringtone in all the iPhone commercials and videos from Apple is not included on the phone? The plain old ring? No where on the phone!

I love my iPhone, but seriously, sometimes I want the ring to sound a little more professional than a happy marimba tunes when someone calls.

Where's the freaking ring Apple? No wonder you aren't appealing to the Wall Street crowd!

[anilsudhakaran]

Originally Posted by waytogobuddy

Pay twice for my media?

They've got to be joking.

Apple will also allow users to convert songs they have previously purchased through iTunes into a ringtone.

Please read the article carefully.

[southerndoc]

Originally Posted by BdeRWest

Hey has anyone noticed the ringtone in all the iPhone commercials and videos from Apple is not included on the phone? The plain old ring? No where on the phone!

I love my iPhone, but seriously, sometimes I want the ring to sound a little more professional than a happy marimba tunes when someone calls.

Where's the freaking ring Apple? No wonder you aren't appealing to the Wall Street crowd!

Yea, it's annoying that this isn't included. Make a suggestion that Apple include it with the next iPhone software update. You can suggest it at http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by anilsudhakaran

Please read the article carefully.

I did. You quoted badly. Here's a bigger quote:

Apple during its media event next Wednesday plans to unveil a new ringtone service that will allow iPhone users to turn almost any song sold through iTunes into a ringtone for an additional fee

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by BdeRWest

Hey has anyone noticed the ringtone in all the iPhone commercials and videos from Apple is not included on the phone? The plain old ring? No where on the phone!

I love my iPhone, but seriously, sometimes I want the ring to sound a little more professional than a happy marimba tunes when someone calls.

Where's the freaking ring Apple? No wonder you aren't appealing to the Wall Street crowd!

I have the same problem with my crappy Samsung phone (sure its crappy, but it was cheap!). Of the included 15 rings, one was decent for a phone, a second was OK, and the rest are just stupid. And half are stupid melodies (like in ancient MIDI from a mac in the early 90s). Does anyone really want the can-can as a ring tone?

[umijin]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple will also allow users to convert songs they have previously purchased through iTunes into a ringtone.

Ummm... Wait a minute. Here in Japan I haven't paid much attention to the iPhone, as it won't be here any time soon.

But - I had assumed that an iPhone with your iTunes music would allow you to use any freaking song you have in your iTunes library or on your freaking phone.

If not, WHAT'S THE POINT OF AN iPHONE?

Nobody should have to pay anything extra for what should already be free. This is pathetic!

An iPhone, which is a tricked out iPod, should use its music for what ever it needs to.

And people still actually want to pay money for this thing?

[GQB]

Will this service also allow snippets of non-ITS content to be converted?
e.g. MP3 or converte .wav files that have been brought into iTunes?

Also, not having taken the plunge yet, does this mean that plethora of sounfile->ringtone converts available for most other phones do not work for the iPhone?

Just curious... I'm not a ringtone freak, but I do have a great Hanna-Barbera sound I've been dying to use as a ringtone.

(See #31 here...)
http://www.tvondvdshop.com/rel/v2_vi...pc=08122718282

[sandau]

ringtones are dumb, i want customizable vibration settings....

[crees!]

My guess is that you can convert any song you already purchased via iTunes for free. You also have the option to buy a ringtone from the online store at a price.

Wonder how Ambroisa's gonna take this.

[caliminius]

This event is sounding less exciting all the time:

The Beatles on iTunes.

Until Apple truly decides that optical media is dead and disables my CD/DVD drive with an "update," I'll stick with my current method of ripping CD's. Quality still counts to me.

Product (Red) iPod Shuffle

I'm all for supporting good causes, but a new color is just not even vaguely exciting.

And now, a ringtone service.

Not having an iPhone and not really interested in purchasing one, it means nothing to me. And even if I had an iPhone, this would still mean nothing to me as I wouldn't pay extra to have a snippet of a song I already bought be "allowed" to be used as a ringtone.

Maybe at least this will put some of the Apple-as-pro-consumer BS to rest. Why should someone need to pay extra to use 15-seconds of a song they already purchased for a ringtone?

Maybe they can top off this boredom with an announcement that AppleTV will now be able to access Flickr photo albums or My Space pages. Or perhaps they'll top it off with a leather Apple logo embossed iPhone case (that doesn't allow access to the screen without removing it from said case).

[crees!]

Originally Posted by Louzer

Thank god! Because the lack of ringtones is what's keeping this phone down!

Waiting for the sarcasm to come running in. You have to be joking, right? If anyone says they won't by a phone because of the lack of ringtone support is HIGHLY materialistic and needs to step away from the mirror.

[ThinkDifferent]

What about ringbacks?

[calguy]

But - I had assumed that an iPhone with your iTunes music would allow you to use any freaking song you have in your iTunes library or on your freaking phone.
If not, WHAT'S THE POINT OF AN iPHONE?
An iPhone, which is a tricked out iPod, should use its music for what ever it needs to.

I so agree with the philosophy above. Why should you have to pay twice to use a song once you already have it. I have not switched to the iPhone, yet. I am waiting for the time when Apple does allow you to use any song you have in the iTunes library and not just ones you have paid for from iTunes.

I have a RAZR (still with Verizon) and it has a recorder built in. So, I can record any segment of any song I want and then use that as a ringtone.

[britwithgoodteeth]

Originally Posted by crees!

If anyone says they won't by a phone because of the lack of ringtone support is HIGHLY materialistic and needs to step away from the mirror.

Do you even understand what the word "materialistic" means?

"Step away from the mirror"?

[britwithgoodteeth]

Originally Posted by calguy

Why should you have to pay twice to use a song once you already have it.

These will be the same people who buy tv shows off of the iTMS when they miss recording them. Even though they've already paid for the shows once via their monthly cable/satellite charges.

[biggsjm]

Originally Posted by calguy

I so agree with the philosophy above. Why should you have to pay twice to use a song once you already have it. I have not switched to the iPhone, yet. I am waiting for the time when Apple does allow you to use any song you have in the iTunes library and not just ones you have paid for from iTunes.

I have a RAZR (still with Verizon) and it has a recorder built in. So, I can record any segment of any song I want and then use that as a ringtone.

First of all, the dude who says he's from Japan and that the iPhone won't be there for a while has to be kidding. I thought the iPhone was already lined up for Japan sometime in early 2008?

Second. . . I would much rather pay a .15 to .30 per track fee to make it into a ringtone (with a section that I select) than what 99% of people who have ringtones on their phone do, which is purchase a song on CD or via iTunes and then purchase THE RINGTONE for $2.99 plus applicable network usage fees (which for someone with no data plan can cost another $1.49).

Look, no one is stupid enough to give this away for free. And I am fine with that. As long as its cheap and I get to use the song the way I want.

My guess is that it works like the DRM-Release worked. It identifies the songs you can convert and lets you pay an upgrade fee for those songs (if you want) and then via the store, it will prompt you when you select the track if you want the ringtone cost or not.

[SpamSandwich]

People should NOT have to pay twice to use a song or snippet of a song they already own. Totally insane that Apple should support this consumer-hostile point of view.

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by Louzer

Thank god! Because the lack of ringtones is what's keeping this phone down!


But what about songs not sold through the iTMS. And why does it cost any money at all to take one of your legally purchased songs and make a ringtone out of it?

And is it going to cost the same, if not more, for a ringtone then the complete version of a song?

It's a kick-back to AT&T for allowing Apple to control media purchases through iTunes. We'll certainly see a mobile iTunes very soon, since this would be the #1 reason why people on an iPhone would want to purchase music or convert their existing tunes (for the fee) on the go.

( got something in my eye )

[waytogobuddy]

Originally Posted by Louzer

I did. You quoted badly. Here's a bigger quote:

props

[Louzer]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

People should NOT have to pay twice to use a song or snippet of a song they already own. Totally insane that Apple should support this consumer-hostile point of view.

They're not charging you twice for a song. They're just charging you a service fee to convert the song.

And who says Apple is thinking different than the phone carriers?

[Denton]

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

People should NOT have to pay twice to use a song or snippet of a song they already own. Totally insane that Apple should support this consumer-hostile point of view.

I think that the problem is that the RIAA thinks that even ripping a CD to your hard drive (a CD that you own) is stealing. And, if they could, they would sue your a** into the stone-age.

But more pertinent to this discussion, according to the RIAA, when you purchase a CD, you have purchased a license for personal listening only. This does not include letting a friend also listen to the CD (if they want to listen to it, they should purchase a license themselves), and it certainly does not include a public performance of any part of the CD (again, like radio does, you should purchase a license to make public performances of copyrighted music).

Apple, unlike other phone makers, is in a strange situation with the RIAA. Because of the iTS, they can't just tell them to f*** off, or the record companies will pull their content from the iTS. I'm sure that Apple will do the best that they can for their customers, but you can't expect miracles.

As biggsjm said, the fee will likely be the similar to upgrading your EMI music from DRM to DRM-free (what 30 cents?).

[max_naylor]

Originally Posted by Louzer

They're not charging you twice for a song. They're just charging you a service fee to convert the song.

And who says Apple is thinking different than the phone carriers?

Could it also be because the ringtone might be heard in a public place, so you’re essentially paying for rights to play the song publicly?

[calguy]

Originally Posted by britwithgoodteeth

These will be the same people who buy tv shows off of the iTMS when they miss recording them. Even though they've already paid for the shows once via their monthly cable/satellite charges.

Did you mean that I would buy a tv show off of iTunes. That is something I haven't done and won't until the quality goes way up. It makes more sense to buy the DVD that has the higher quality and all the extras. Then if I had a video iPod, I could use Visual Hub or some other application out there that will easily convert it down to the size needed. This is multiple use from one purchase.

[Clive At Five]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Revenues from the sale of ringtones in the U.S. topped $600 million in 2006, up from $68 million in 2003, according to BMI, a collection society for songwriters and publishers. Meanwhile, worldwide sales last year are reported to have totaled $3.5 billion.

Wow, does anyone else find this entirely sad?

Originally Posted by BdeRWest

Hey has anyone noticed the ringtone in all the iPhone commercials and videos from Apple is not included on the phone? The plain old ring? No where on the phone!

I love my iPhone, but seriously, sometimes I want the ring to sound a little more professional than a happy marimba tunes when someone calls.

Where's the freaking ring Apple? No wonder you aren't appealing to the Wall Street crowd!

Wow, you have an extrordinary point... that ringtone isn't in the iPhone! I never noticed.

However, your argument begins to break down in your last paragraph... My boss's ringtone on his BlackJack is some RnB shiznit. It always makes me laugh because it totally doesn't seem to be his type.

Originally Posted by britwithgoodteeth

Do you even understand what the word "materialistic" means?

"Step away from the mirror"?

Yeah, doesn't it mean the exact same thing as vain?

People need to be less stupid.

-Clive

[GQB]

This might be relevent.
http://www.iphoneatlas.com/2007/08/3...-jailbreaking/

Ambrosia Software has released iToner, a Mac OS X tool that allows you to transfer custom ringtones for your iPhone - without modifying, hacking or having to reset your iPhone. You drag and drop MP3 or AAC audio files on iToner’s window, click the Sync button, and the items are automatically moved into the iPhone’s ringtones section. Ambrosia says the ringtones will continue to work with future iPhone OS updates.

[Steve45]

In the ITMS licence agreement it specifically states that the downloaded songs are not licenced to be used as ringtones. I am sure it was a restriction that the record companies demanded to post their content so that they could still bank off of ringtones, but anyone who is outraged that they would charge you for this additional service ought to read the things they are signing a bit more, and realize what exactly it is that you are paying for. (dunno if this applies to iTunes Plus music)

Steve

[Rot'nApple]

Originally Posted by MacTel

It's a kick-back to AT&T for allowing Apple to control media purchases through iTunes. We'll certainly see a mobile iTunes very soon, since this would be the #1 reason why people on an iPhone would want to purchase music or convert their existing tunes (for the fee) on the go.

( got something in my eye )

Kick-back to AT&T or "Royalties" kick-back to the song artist??? You know the person singing the song about 'all you need is love', or 'give peace a chance', or 'we are the world' when in reality these artists show their 'true colors' because it's all about the 'MONEY, that's what I want'!

[Clocknova]

Originally Posted by crees!

Waiting for the sarcasm to come running in. You have to be joking, right? If anyone says they won't by a phone because of the lack of ringtone support is HIGHLY materialistic and needs to step away from the mirror.

I'm not at all materialistic (no more than the next person, anyway), I just refuse to be nickel-and-dimed to death and I won't pay for the priveledge of doing what I want to do with the things I own. If the iPhone wants to treat me that way, I'll stick with my RAZR which lets me use any soundfile and a ringtone - for free.

[Clocknova]

Originally Posted by biggsjm

Look, no one is stupid enough to give this away for free. And I am fine with that. As long as its cheap and I get to use the song the way I want.

Then you're an idiot.

[crees!]

Originally Posted by Clocknova

I'm not at all materialistic (no more than the next person, anyway)

Materialistic was the wrong word, but still, ringtones a determining factor in purchasing a phone? You get my point, right?

Originally Posted by Clocknova

I just refuse to be nickel-and-dimed to death and I won't pay for the priveledge of doing what I want to do with the things I own. If the iPhone wants to treat me that way, I'll stick with my RAZR which lets me use any soundfile and a ringtone - for free.

Not if you're with verizon and haven't hacked your phone to allow it.

[calguy]

Originally Posted by crees!

Materialistic was the wrong word, but still, ringtones a determining factor in purchasing a phone? You get my point, right?



Not if you're with verizon and haven't hacked your phone to allow it.

I just wanted to agree with Clocknova and getting ringtones that you want with the RAZR phone.
As a point of info to crees!. You don't have to hack anything. I have a RAZR phone with Verizon. I don't buy ringtones because I make my own. The RAZR has a recorder so you can record any portion of a song you want (as long as it is playing on a speaker to record off of ). Then you take that recording and use it as a ringtone. The phone itself allows you to do this.

[ravedog]

Originally Posted by Louzer

They're not charging you twice for a song. They're just charging you a service fee to convert the song.

And who says Apple is thinking different than the phone carriers?

differentLY....

[pmjoe]

Originally Posted by Clocknova

I'm not at all materialistic (no more than the next person, anyway), I just refuse to be nickel-and-dimed to death and I won't pay for the priveledge of doing what I want to do with the things I own. If the iPhone wants to treat me that way, I'll stick with my RAZR which lets me use any soundfile and a ringtone - for free.

I'll ditto that. If Apple is planning to charge you to put ringtones on your iPhone, then it's probably just the beginning of the nickel-and-diming.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by max_naylor

Could it also be because the ringtone might be heard in a public place, so you’re essentially paying for rights to play the song publicly?

That seems like a stretch, and I think the rights holders might claim that, though I'm sure they would claim the moon and the stars if they could. It's not likely going to be the whole song though, and it's not as if the iPhone is that loud.

This is one service that I would never use.

I just don't see any point in this.

[Bageljoey]

Originally Posted by pmjoe

I'll ditto that. If Apple is planning to charge you to put ringtones on your iPhone, then it's probably just the beginning of the nickel-and-diming.

But has it been established that Apple has control over this? They might not have the contractual right from the recording industry to let you convert the files to ring tones for free.

The RAZR example notwithstanding, remember that this is a $600 million industry. People all over are paying through the nose for these ringtones and ya'll are crying about a fee that hasn't been announced yet. If it is a small fee it would still be better than the vast majority of options people have out there.

[mrjoec123]

Personally, I've always thought that ringtones were the first sign of the global apocalypse, anyway. The fact that the telco industry managed to wave a shiny object in front of us to distract us from the pitiful state of customer service and call sound quality for this long is surely proof that we're not as smart a species as we'd like to think.

Having said that, I do think that ringtones SHOULD be free. I certainly wouldn't pay for one, in any event. But the fact of the matter is that they are NOT free. Playing your stereo really loud and recording it with the RAZR's cheap little microphone is hardly what I'd call a free ringtone. It's a cheesy workaround, which, sadly, produces what some people would call acceptable results. I guess the little speakers on these phones are so lame anyway that it doesn't make much difference.

A lot of people pay $2.99 and up for ringtones on a regular basis (a statistic that I still find completely astounding) so there's no reason why a company such as Apple or AT&T shouldn't get in on the gravy train. If they offer anything resembling what was described here in the article, it will be a great bargain, compared to what Verizon, the company with which so many wished Apple had offered the iPhone, officially offers (above jury-rigged method notwithstanding).

The record labels will get their cut. AT&T will get its cut. Apple will get its cut. The musicians and the customers will get screwed, as usual. Serves them right for signing up with a record label in the first place, and serves us right for being dumb enough to want our phones to play songs at us from crappy little speakers.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Bageljoey

But has it been established that Apple has control over this? They might not have the contractual right from the recording industry to let you convert the files to ring tones for free.

The RAZR example notwithstanding, remember that this is a $600 million industry. People all over are paying through the nose for these ringtones and ya'll are crying about a fee that hasn't been announced yet. If it is a small fee it would still be better than the vast majority of options people have out there.

So what? I don't care whose fault it is, and I don't care what size the industry is, how many suckers will pay money for this stuff, and I still don't care if it's a small fee compared to anyone else. It's still stupid in my opinion.