June 22, 2003
Java plays a part in ringtone purchases
In an article published by David Kirkpatrick in Fortune on Java, a programming language and operating environment for software designed to run on any kind of computer or cell phone, Jonathan Schwartz, Sun's current software boss, claimed that "the number of Java-equipped cellphones sold this year will exceed the world's total sales of PCs. And Java is poised to solve the problem of delivering digital content securely.
The market for selling cellphone ringtones in Europe is now $1.6 billion annually, with the average ringtone selling for about $2.50, with some going for as much as $5. Many of these are excerpts of popular songs. In some countries the ringtone industry has become as large as the record industry. Put that in the pipe of the next person who says we're not in a new economy".
Music companies are happy to see their songs distributed as ringtones in part because the digital information is only playable by the purchaser. What ensures that is the "SIM" or subscriber identification module in each phone, which typically uses Java. The Java simcard identifies the user as authorized to use the content".
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