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What do you think about the iPhones SMS (text message) tones?

  • They are blatant sonic advertising and we should be allowed to create our own

    Votes: 17 17.7%
  • I don't think it's advertising but we should be allowed to create our own anyway

    Votes: 51 53.1%
  • I love my standard iPhone tones, I don't have any desire to change them

    Votes: 28 29.2%

  • Total voters
    96
  • Poll closed .

Nightex

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
41
0
O.K. Is anyone else like me, totally fed up with being unable to change your SMS tone?

We all know why Apple has restricted us to only use the SMS tones that come with the iPhone. But seriously... Apple has made sure 90% of the human population on this planet know about the fabulous iPhone and its world domineering prevalence in the market, do we really still need to be forced to use this blatant (but granted, intelligent) free advertising for Apple??

I mean, it really just seems rude and arrogant now, and every time I hear that tone (you know the one) its like fingers on a chalkboard.
 

0wnage

macrumors member
Jul 28, 2010
65
0
It is advertising. *iPhone Text Message Sound* "Oh look, they've got iPhone's, I want one too!"
 

Nightex

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
41
0
It is BLATANT advertising!

"Beep Beep" = "That guy has an iPhone"
 

Nightex

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
41
0
Oh. Wow..:eek:

I know I know, its seems insignificant in comparison to other iPhone issues. And yes, it will seem to many that I'm nit-picking. But if it is such a small issue, why hasn't it been changed? Its been on the request list since before the 3G world release if I'm not mistaken.

Its just the arrogance displayed by Apple in not letting us change it and thinking that we won't notice or care that they're forcing us to play their sonic logo that really irks me.
 

Aatos.1

macrumors 6502
Dec 31, 2010
433
0
It's certainly one way for Apple to gain instant recognition that a person is using an iPhone whenever that tone is played. Besides the fact that we use locked down proprietary phones, it is a rather monotonous & annoying tone. Yet that said, it's simply proof that Apples first priorities are not their customers. No matter how it's presented by Apple the bottom line is obvious. Control, control, control is the Apple mantra.
 

Nightex

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
41
0
Doesn't jailbreak let you make custom text tones?

Yep, in fact I have known people who have jail-broken their phone for that feature alone and that seems a bit extreme to me. You shouldn't have to install a hacked system in order to play a different SMS tone.
 
Last edited:

Nicksd84

macrumors 6502a
Mar 4, 2010
583
756
Atlanta, GA
What's just as annoying is most of the SMS sounds are crap so you're really forced to choose a couple. I want my SMS sound to be quick, effective and short which the standard one does well, but most of the others are long drawn out crap. Like you said it's a small issue and the majority of the time my phone is on vibrate anyway, but the concept of Apple's tones doesn't really keep in line with how they do most of their design in making things work as they should.
 

Nightex

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
41
0
I feel a little better after my rant, but in all seriousness its only after consumer pressure that Apple will change things like this. So keep pushing, keep complaining. Keep making threads pop up like this every month or so, keep adding your voice to threads and never let up.

Please voice your opinion on this issue, even if you've said it before, even if it doesn't offer valuable new insights. I just want to hear what people think. I reckon there are many iPhone users out there who aren't even aware that this advertising has been forced on them.
 

JD914

macrumors 6502a
Sep 24, 2007
754
0
Dutchess County NY
I feel a little better after my rant, but in all seriousness its only after consumer pressure that Apple will change things like this. So keep pushing, keep complaining. Keep making threads pop up like this every month or so, keep adding your voice to threads and never let up.

Please voice your opinion on this issue, even if you've said it before, even if it doesn't offer valuable new insights. I just want to hear what people think. I reckon there are many iPhone users out there who aren't even aware that this advertising has been forced on them.

Don't kid yourself, most iPhone users love to get stuff spoon fed to them from Apple.
 

Leet Apple

macrumors 6502a
Nov 10, 2009
851
17
Canada
i know a girl who has a terrible phone yet it has the marimba ringtone when it rings everyone believes its an iPhone, that sms tone is advertising :apple:
 

Dahammer

macrumors newbie
Dec 23, 2010
16
0
I think it is ridiculous that you can't change it to custom one of your own choosing, but at least there are several choices (at least on the iPhone 4). I love my iPhone, but there are alot of things that irk me about it. This particular one isn't at the top of that list, however.

My #1 complaint is that there isn't a way to attach files (other than photos/videos) to emails.

My #2 complaint is that there isn't a folder/jail/whatever set up on it that can be used to store ANY file you chose, which can then be attached to email (See #1). The storage should be allowed wirelessly as well, via wifi or bluetooth.

My #3 compaint is that you can not save any email attachments other than photos or videos. (See #1 & #2)

My #4 complaint is that you can not mass delete text messages.

So I guess that puts the text tones at around #5. :)
 

Nightex

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
41
0
[In response to Dahammer:]

Please don't go off topic. Also check out dropbox.com ;)
 
Last edited:

Nightex

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
41
0
4.2.1 added lots of SMS tones :)

Yeah it added more Apple tones (sonic logos), and it only offered these tones to iPhone 4 users if I'm not mistaken, which is even more blatant advertising.

"beep beep" = "wow he's got the new iPhone 4, with new SMS alerts" ;)
 

ringgit

macrumors member
Nov 19, 2010
75
1
Yeah it added more Apple tones (sonic logos), and it only offered these tones to iPhone 4 users if I'm not mistaken, which is even more blatant advertising.

"beep beep" = "wow he's got the new iPhone 4, with new SMS alerts" ;)
Not really.. iOS 4.2.1 can be applied to 3G and 3GS iPhone.. so people may not think of it as having new iPhone 4.
 

anim8or

macrumors 65816
Aug 16, 2006
1,362
9
Scotland, UK
I have always been in the camp that finds this lack of customisation annoying.

Even more since the iPhone truly boomed and now everybody has one, until the new tones were introduced I was constantly checking my phone for messages that weren't my own!!!

I don't think we r asking the world here but seeing apple have bigger fish to fry with alarm bugs and the like I don't see them devoting any programmers to this task any time soon!!

And I refuse to jeopardise the stability of my iPhone for custom tones when they should be available as standard!!!!!

I have jailbroken previous iDevices with horrible results, so I will not be doing the same with my iPhone 4.
 

Ivan P

macrumors 68030
Jan 17, 2008
2,692
4
Home
Not really.. iOS 4.2.1 can be applied to 3G and 3GS iPhone.. so people may not think of it as having new iPhone 4.

Actually Nightex is right on that one, the new SMS tones are only a part of 4.2.1 for iPhone 4, they're left out of the 3G/3GS version.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,415
43,304
I know some people can be anal, but really, thinking that apple's signature sms tones are blatant advertising, takes that to a whole new level.

Personally, I never really thought about it. More so, that I wished apple would give its customers the ability to use custom sms tones.
 

Nightex

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2009
41
0
I know some people can be anal, but really, thinking that apple's signature sms tones are blatant advertising, takes that to a whole new level.

I really don't believe that you can describe my thinking as being anal retentive.

It may not be obvious to some. But I am a sound designer, I have known people that work designing sonic branding.

If you don't believe Apple has a vested interest in keeping us playing their tones, why do you believe they won't allow us to create our own?

Why are the new tones only available to iPhone 4 users?
 

eNcrypTioN

macrumors 6502
Nov 4, 2009
393
1
It's really pathetic that phones I had in early 2000 could have customized ringtones yet the iPhone can't without a jailbreak. Apple really needs to step it's game up when it comes to things like this. Default ringtones is so 1995.
 

Reddmanz

macrumors regular
Jul 23, 2010
169
0
My #4 complaint is that you can not mass delete text messages.

Try using the "edit" button when in the main lists of all your texts to get rid of whole conversations. And then try it again when in a certain conversation to delete exact messages.
 
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