September 15, 2009
Can Apple Reinvigorate The Ringtone Market?
Apple has changed the way consumers buy ringtones from the company, bringing into question whether the largest digital music-retailer in the U.S. can breathe new life into the ailing mobile content category. MocoNews reports.
... Previously, Apple charged 99 cents to convert songs that consumers already owned on iTunes into ringtones, but experience was clunky and not available on the phone or accessible beyond the U.S., said an Apple executive at last week’s event.
Apple has a number advantages. Not only will the ringtones be integrated directly into iTunes on the phone, it also will be tied to user’s iTunes accounts. Convenience could be key. Price is also a factor. Often ringtones cost up to three to five times as much as a full-track song. In the early days, the prices soared mostly because consumers were willing to pay more, and because they had no way to convert songs they already owned. While that’s changed, prices have stayed artificially high because ringtone royalties paid to artists have been set higher than full-track royalties. At $1.29, you could consider it a bargain.
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