Once considered a passing craze, ringtones now account for more than 10% of global music market and are overtaking CD sales faster than expected. Some thought that the monophonic tones of the late 1990s would evolve into the multi-billion dollar market that exists today. But after the advent of true polyphonic ringtones in 2003, realize their potential has developed a new dynamic.
Unable to ignore the ringtone market, the music industry will take its future and its influence on youth culture. This is especially the hip-hop industry whose output makes up more than half of all downloade
d ringtones. Successful artists such as 50 Cent, Mariah Carey and Kanye West have all learned that ringtones are by no means a niche product. To hear the latest from mobile ringtone charts visit www.ringtones.lt.
Where is the key to this success, then it is probably the creation of a 'total product', that is full alignment of phones with ringtones, wallpapers, screensavers, logos, picture messages and games. This has led to huge consumer choice and demand, with endless catalogs of music and themes now available on both mono and polyphonic phones. Another factor has been the obvious media impact, with people like the infamous Crazy Frog ringtone experiencing unprecedented coverage.
This popularity should continue for a while yet, thanks to advances in sound quality and use of MP3 and Real Music by the current generation of phones. There are still new markets to explore as well, with music-loving Latin Americans expected provide the next big growth area.
Ultimately, could the long-term success of the ringtone market depends on the ability of the largest manufacturers of mobile phones such as Nokia, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and Samsung to combine the latest technologies with broad compatibility, a balance which is becoming increasingly important in this truly global industry.
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