Why not just convert thise mp3/wav ringtones to AAC format and then use one of the many free utilities such as Ambrosia’s to get the ring tone onto your iPhone. It’s a loop hole that Apple has left open.

Oh and remember that apple needs the music labels to keep the ITMS open so there has to be some connessions from Apple at the contract meetings. Otherwise the Music Labels may pull their cataogs and there would be music for no one. If Apple could have left the option open to doit in iTunes then fine but because Apple runs a music store they can’t. Those other phone manufacturers probably didn’t have to deal with the music labels like apple does so they don’t have to play by the music industry’s rules.

Either a contract addendum will need to be signed, or some waiver/checkbox ticked in the iTunes content management to enable ringtone rights for the track.

It’ll come, just wait. However Apple can’t force artists to allow their works to be used in this way, some may just not want it, and some might just never be bothered to tick the box.

- 128kbps is definitely *not* CD quality.
- A downloaded song has no manufacturing costs as an actual CD (is being produced once, downloaded thousands of times, in contrast with a CD which each cost some money to be produced). Also you get no printed artwork, lyrics etc.
- CDs can be played in every CD player, while digital downloads can be played with certain software, specific operating systems, and in a limited range of computers (iTunes allows up to 5, I think)

(The only advantage that comes to my mind is that you can only buy one song and not entire albums)

So, we are presented with a product that is far inferior to what we previously has (audio CDs), and with many more limitations.
Even worse, while we think we can use it in our new computer (iPhone) as we wish, we have to pay again for a 30-second ringtone.

Removal of DRM from some of iTunes downloads was a step forward. Ringtone tax for already bought songs is two steps backwards.

You said “the music industry sees ringtones in much the same way”, but the music industry (well, at least the RIAA) won a case saying that ringtones aren’t copyrighted works. That way they don’t have to pay the artist when they sell ringtones.

Ugh…I’m so sick of legality. What I’ve always loved about Apple is their simplicity, and nonsense like this just takes them in the opposite direction. I don’t really blame Apple, as I’m sure the record companies are insane. But crap like this is why I don’t spend my money on things. Is a custom ringtone really worth the hassle? I don’t think so.

BTW, I don’t mean any disrespect Paul, I’m just fed up with this stuff!

For example, you can’t use the music for a public performance. If you were to synchronize some photos to a song and show the product in public, you are using that music as an original performance. You need to purchase special licensing rights to show this slideshow. It may sound odd, but the music industry sees ringtones in much the same way. When you receive a call in public and 30 seconds of your favorite song plays as your ringtone, you’ve just given a public performance. You need to purchase a license for this performance and that’s where the extra 99 cents comes in to play.
Don’t blame Apple, they’re trying to work within the confines of the licensing restrictions placed on them by the recording industry. The single fee for the ringtone is probably the best compromise available to them. Imaging the hassle if you had to pay a licensing fee every time you got a phone call!

People are blaming apple for charging to make ringtones but any other cell phone provider would have you doing the same for more money. Yeah it sucks, why should I be forced to pay the same amount for 30 seconds of a song? But thats the music industry.

Before you go and get all hot and bothered over being charged for a ringtone look at all the options currently, look who is forcing you to pay the money (hint its the one who has the most to gain) and then blame them.

Anyone who uses Vanilla Ice (or any other music from the 80s or 90s - or any obnoxious music, for that matter) for a ringtone on their phone deserves to get the snot beat out of them in public. In fact, Apple should have made only two options: Marimba or Vibrate. That’s all.

What I think people forget when they buy music, TV shows, movies, software and anything else published… we don’t own them. We can’t do anything we want with them, other than their intended purpose. Up till now they could relinquish that right on command, but in today’s digital age they can and can enforce those rights.

I’m not siding with them; but it is a fact that i don’t think we are going to get around anytime soon. I don’t think this is Apple. It’s not good business for Apple to say “you can’t do that…,” but it is equally bad business to have the media creators and publishers deciding to stop doing business with Apple.

Apple’s solutions, call them compromises, have allowed us to have a store with millions of songs digitally available at a price we are willing to pay. They’ve allowed to to carry all those tunes in our iPods and now iPhones. Had Apple had a choice i think they would have gone with just allowing music to be used as a ringtone, just as they allow music to be used in home movies. A right I’m sure they had to fight long and hard to get. The music publishers didn’t have a revenue stream for music in home movies; but they do for ringtones. I highly profitable one at that too.

I’m not saying don’t rock the boat, or not to Rock the Vote, for change. What I am saying is that we don’t own anything in our music collection, movie collection or software collection. We own a “right” to watch, listen or use those items. Apple doesn’t own them either and has to find ways to compromise to get what they want and think we want.

So, $0.99 for the song and $.99 to make it a ring tone ($1.98) is crazy; but it’s the same or more in other places with a TIME LIMIT on use with no control over what part of the tune plays.
Personally, I think ringtones will only be a marginal hit on the iPhone. Folks will buy a few for diversity; but not tons of them. The music industry won’t care, either way they don’t make much money; so they will go with the one that makes them some money.
It’s all about the MONEY and WHO HOLDS THE RIGHTS. We as end users, have little of either.