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Sky

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 7, 2003
17
0
Hello,

I have just acquired an iPhone today, and I am loving it so far. I have done som eresearch, and it appears that Apple has restricted the use of ringtones fairly severely.

From what I gathered, with th elatest iTunes and iPhones updates, it is not possible to create our own ringtones (besides buying a song on iTunes), correct?

Is there any hope of this changing with the SDK?

Thanks for the clarification.
 
Sky said:
Hello,

I have just acquired an iPhone today, and I am loving it so far. I have done som eresearch, and it appears that Apple has restricted the use of ringtones fairly severely.

From what I gathered, with th elatest iTunes and iPhones updates, it is not possible to create our own ringtones (besides buying a song on iTunes), correct?

Is there any hope of this changing with the SDK?

Thanks for the clarification.
Click to expand...

The reason behind the ringtone restriction is due to copyright rules, and how the RIAA interprets them. The license you purchase when you buy a song on iTunes does not allow for public performance, which is what the RIAA considers ringtones. So you have to purchase a separate license for the song that allows you to publicly perform the song. However, most CDs you purchase include the right of public performance (i.e. radio airplay) but to keep the RIAA off their back, Apple has restricted the ringtones to songs they can guarantee will give you the performance rights.

I know that if Steve had his way, you could use any audio file for a ringtone, but with the iPhone being as popular as it is, the lawyers don't want to have to deal with the RIAA any more than they have to. Unfortunately they don't allow you to purchase ringtones through the iPhone (like from the TXT services) but again, legitimacy is a big concern regarding the licenses.

However, everyone should know about iToner. It has a straight-forward interface and works with most audio files.

TEG
 
Just to be clear - I don't want to hack my iPhone or do anything like that - Will using iToner void my warranty?
 
The whole license agreement argument doesn't hold water - If this was indeed true, it would mean that the speaker on the iPhone would have to be disabled - This is, after all, public performance. I don't buy it one tiny bit. There's no way I am going to fund the Apple ringtone venture, simply because it is obscene and defies any sense of fairness. If i'm able to rip a CD onto my iPhone, I should then be able to play that track in any way I see fit, which includes allocating as a ringtone.
 
Ars Diaboli said:
So are you telling me I have to buy the song first before I have to pay an extra $1.99 to make the ringtone in itunes?
Click to expand...

no you buy a song for 99 cents and then pay an additional 99 cents to make it a ringtone... which is a really good deal to people that were paying 3 dollars a ringtone with their other carriers or phones... but horrible for people that used to transfer their own tones over for free
 
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