Here’s another little new feature in iOS 5 that’s not such a pleasant surprise: as TUAW and others have reported, you’ll be able to buy additional ringtones for use as alert tones from within the Settings app on the iPhone.
The ringtone option is found in the settings menu under the sounds. Users select any of the available alerts, like Text Tone, New Voicemail or New Mail, to see a list of available sounds. You can choose from any of the default sounds as well as “Buy More Tones.” Clicking on the “Buy More Tones” button in iOS 5 launches the Ringtones Store within iTunes.
I haven’t seen any word on the pricing for these extra tones as yet, but honestly who cares what the price is? The main question that springs to mind right away is why charge at all for these? It seems comical that at the same time that iCloud will emerge and offer no less than nine cool new services to iOS and Mac users for free, we’re also going to need to pay to add a goofy new tone for a text message alert.
I’m sure the answer is that Apple can offer iCloud for free because it’s their own services and music labels won’t allow their content to be used for free on alert tones. Even so, how dumb does that feel? How dumb are the music labels if this is the case? Don’t use this as an opportunity to earn just a little bit of goodwill by giving users a tiny little something for free, no – stick to getting your pound of flesh on every kind of usage of a song.
As fun as some new alert tones might be, I have no desire at all to pay for them. How about you all? Happy to pay up for additional alert tones?
Continue reading:
- Everything New Apple Just Announced (Septembe
- Apple Watch Pre-Order
- Apple Research Kit launches with 5 Apps
- Apple TV now only $69
TAGS: iOS 5
