Realtones bring end to rising ringtone revenues.(Brief Article)

Consumer spending on ringtones is reaching its peak, being set to decline from 2007 as demand for realtones and digital music grows.

Analyst Visiongain's 'Mobile Music Downloads' report says that although global revenues from ringtones will grow from $4.25bn (#2.36bn) this year to $4.7bn (#2.61bn) in 2007, sales will fall to $3.8bn (#2.11bn) by 2009, similar to levels seen in 2003.

The popularity of realtones - snippets of actual music tracks - is growing and will eat into ringtone revenues over the next four years.

Meanwhile, Visiongain predicts …