Free Ringtones Aren’t Going Anywhere.
With the rise of smart phones such as the iPhone and the upcoming Prada phone from LG, everyone and their brother is predicting the demise of the ringtone industry. They may have a point - after all, these devices double as MP3 players, and hence one’s entire music collection could be called upon to be used as a ringtone.
But let’s not sell ringtones too short, too quickly. If history is any indicator, these high tech gadgets are usually snapped up by the early adopters. Your average Joe and Josephine are not going to run out and drop half a grand on a Prada at the drop of a hat. No, the average cell phone user will be downloading ringtones for a long time to come - and of course they’ll be searching for free ringtones. The prices that providers can charge for ringtones will be forced to decline, of course, as the adoption of smart phones increase; so well undoubtedly see many sites popping up offering completely free ringtones to satisfy consumer demand. Bank on it.
