Crazy Frog Is Going Down October 5, 2006

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Don’t get too excited just yet but there is reason enough for a little cheer: ringtone sales are falling. Sales of Crazy Frog and the rest of the demented ringtone offerings for mobile phones have started to decline for the first time ever.

The end of the UK ringtone boom is over according to industry watcher MusicAlly, which thinks the market will fall by a good 20% this year. The madness reached its peak last year, with ringtone sales growing from £34.8m in 2000 to £177.3m in 2005. This year, sales will drop to £143.5m and will hit just over half that - £78.8m - by 2011. The reasons: mobile music piracy and controversial hidden subscription charges for ringtones.

So, if paid for ringtones are on the way out, what other phone-related nonsense will replace them? All suggestions welcome.-Martin Lynch

Via The Guardian

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