Anyone up for a ringle?

Not Alec Saunders, Engadget, and TechCrunch. Like them, I agree – it is a stupid move.

Music companies came up with the ringle format – a CD single with 3 tracks and a ringtone – in a bid to control the music download business. The primary question: who would buy it?

Why it won’t work? First, know why music downloads are kings. Instant gratification – you can immediately get the music you want, you just have to know how and where to look. So if I want my music, why should I go to a store and buy a ringle, when I can download it legally?

Second, is there a need for a separate ring tone? Most of the mobile handsets available nowadays can use most digital music formats (MP3 and AAC, for example) as ring tones, alarm tones, message tones. Right? Besides, you can get ringtones for free from several sources. You can even create your own. In the Philippine context, telcos provide ringtone downloads. Heck, in Japan, ringtone download is a big business.

Lastly, no one buys CD singles here in the Philippines. You’d rarely see one in music stores. Filipinos are practical: why buy a single containing at least 2 songs, when you can get more from a pirated source value from an album?

What can you say about the ringle? Discuss at the comments.