Universal Music NOT pulling out of iTunes. Their answer? A RINGLE!
Yeah, guys, you heard it loud and clear. Even though Universal Music did not renew their agreement with iTunes, in no way, shape, or form are they pulling their music library out of iTunes. From what we’ve been told they wanted a better split, and Apple refused to budge. All this means is that they are free to explore more "options", but totally pulling music? They’re stupid and out of it, but not that stupid. Leave it up to the 60 year old suits to understand the latest technology and consumer interest, right? Because what we’re about to tell you next makes perfect sense…Universal Music Group and the major labels are about to begin rolling out something called a "RINGLE." You know, like a single? Except this will be 3 songs packaged together with a ringtone and wallpaper image for your cell phone. The truly idiotic part? These will be physical shipped goods that will be stocked in retailers across the country. Wal-Mart and Best Buy have already jumped on board to start carrying RINGLES. If you break down the cost of 3 songs on iTunes, a typical ringtone, and wallpaper, you get around $6.00. RINGLES will sell in stores for $5.98, but will most likely be on sale and discounted to around $4.00-$4.50. While this is a little bit lower than the traditional digital copies, we still haven’t been told how the consumer will actually be able to transfer the ringtones and wallpapers to their handset. If they’re using some sort of short-code and not bypassing a carrier, then this could be one of the stupidest things we’ve seen. Nevermind the fact they’re going ass-backwards and reverting from a digital product to a physical product that must be printed, packaged, shipped, and stocked. Please, Steve Jobs. Please help us. So…are you guys going to run out to your local retailer and shell out $5.98 for a RINGLE, or just buy the one song you really like on iTunes for $.99 and make your own ringtones?
2 steps forward, 6 step-years back.
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Ringle…what a stupid name…makes me think of pringles more than anything else. “Honey bring me home a bag of those ringles would ya”
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Ringle? OOhhhhh Pringles with ridges…. Or maybe just Scooby Doo… Roh Roy, Ringles!
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These guys are idiots… BT isn’t killing the music industry, the music industry is killing itself…
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The idea itself? Somewhere between “not bad” and “meh”. The name? Cheesy. Actually making physical boxed products? idiotic. This is reminiscent of when Sony was selling movies for the PSP on memory sticks. Not a terrible idea by itself but ridiculous when a wireless inter net delivery system is already built in.
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the price is horrible, the delivery method is even worse. If i was an artist with Universal I’d be like Ari get me out…
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Totally buy em off miTunes
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Well with reading these replies, it is evident that none of you are in the music industry. The music industry is not killing the music industry, but the bootlegging is. It is simple, the record industry isn’t making enough money after the introduction of bootlegging the “digital product.” How does record company make money? They make it through record sales and the selling of the “digital product.” With the decline of record sales due to the “digital product,” the “digital product” hasn’t brought enough of an economic return. The music industry is trying to find ways to increase this return. If they don’t there will be no music industry.
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In a sea of product and marketing blunders, THIS is a singular example.
Clearly, “universal” does not describe their intellect or wisdom.
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This must be a joke. No way anyone would think this is a viable business model.
(Of course, I keep my phone on vibrate and really don’t care what’s sitting behind phone numbers on the phone screen, so maybe I just don’t get it).
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Lol an they think there not gonnn be a way to bootleg ringles?! These guys gotta lay off the tussin and acid. DRM did not work what makes them think this will? The artists will be asking for their cut. If universal says no dice along with apple you will see more artists distributing there own music via private website/server. What the music industry needs to do more is team up with the video game industry.
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Ringtones, last year, produced over 1 billion in sales. The driving demo was individuals 12 - 24. The number 2 song on ITunes is “Crank That” from Soulja Boy. This a record that is driven by popularity from the 12 - 24 demo. The driving demo for ITunes sales is from the demo of 12 - 24. Anyone else seeing a pattern? Hmm… I’m going to take a shot in the dark with this… Universal is marketing to the demo of 12 - 24. So I understand why this marketing campaigne the Universal might or might not roll out, doesn’t fit your fancy. But I bet if you ask your kids, it will be the best thing that has happened since white bread. And if I was a beating man, I would bet that one day, you will look on your ITune reciept and find a nice “Ringle” on there, courtesy of your your kid in the demo of… Let’s say it all together… 12 - 24
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Pic concept jacker!! Bg must die..
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And it shows that you know nothing of the music industry either my friend.
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/05/14/nine-inch-nails-trent-reznor-slams-records-labels-for-sorry-state-of-the-industry/
You wonder why people pirate music, THATS WHY. Bootlegging may be apart of the reason on why the industry is failing as some would say, don’t make it sound like Bootlegging is the only reason. Overpricing CDs “because they can” is a reason too there pal.
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Galavatron, that was a well spelled, grammatically correct post. I didn’t even notice it was from you! Congratulations! We are finally getting to you.
How rich are these performers and record execs anyway? Maybe the cost side of the business needs to be fixed.
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Seany Mac, simply put, you’re an idiot. I’m in that demographic and no way in hell would I buy a pack of “ringles” it is absured that a company even thinks this marketing campaign would be remotely effective. As BG said these will soon be seen in clearance bins shortly after they come out with universal in turn losing money from having to cut prices to make sales to begin with. I don’t care if you are 12 or 52 this is going to fail miserably.
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I agree with Mr. Opportunist. I also would like to bring out the fact that music changes often. Universal will not be able to distribute music to retailers fast enough to keep up with the current tracks in rotation. Who wants to buy a song that was “hot” a month ago. In order to download ringtones the consumer will also have to have some type of data service which means the cost of the “Ringle” is more than advertised. Physical media is the past; I can’t remember the last time I purchased a cd single in store.
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Typical corporate dumbasses. The old geezers in suits will be dead and buried before all of this useless plastic garbage buries the rest of us stuck with the leftover trash of their greedy, out-of-touch ways.
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UM, NO. JUST NO.
RINGLES?
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Not to mention the fact from what everyone else has stated: There is something called “instant gratification” With the package deal through ringles, one must go out and buy it then figure out how to get it on your cell. With the digital age of simply downloading a song from say, iTunes, then the instant gratification is there and quite simple to modify to one’s cell phone. I don’t see this particular idea panning out for Universal.
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yeah and you put iTunes on the mobile devices and you make it even more instant. Think this idea is definitely going the wrong way.
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I for one am looking forward to these RINGLES. I just saw some of the upcoming releases and since I love collecting CD singles. I am happy that Cyndi Laupers “GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN” and Rick Springfields “JESSIES GIRL” are amoung the titles to be released! I cant wait til October 23rd!
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I got the CYNDI LAUPER ringle but I cant find any others. The Cyndi Lauper one was $89.99 on ebay!
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