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What is the iPhone demographic? / Ringtone nonsense

T

TenaciousPZ

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 17, 2007
136
0
I'm having a real hard time understanding the demographic of those who are actually going to buy this phone.

Obviously gadget-heads are interested, but not all can afford it. I hear as many people on this forum that are interested in buying as I hear people who are concerned about their credit because they've never owned their own phone before! WHAT!? Why are so many 19 and 20 years set on/able to purchase this phone? If you even have to question your credit, is it really smart to make this purchase?

Also, given some of the complaints/wishes/desires for this phone, its skews the demographic even more.

ie: The constant babble regarding mp3 files as ringtones. This implies using actual music as ringtones.

Am I alone in thinking this is the most ridiculous desire imaginable? Am I the only one who thinks its rude and terribly obnoxious when "Party Like a Rockstar" starts playing as someone's ringtone in a public place?

I personally hate ringtones in general and only ever use the Vibrate function of any phone, but I can deal with the mild, pleasant tones that the iPhone appears to carry by default. To me its just immature and silly to make your favorite song of the day as your ring tone. Nobody cares, nor wants to hear it. Now, if its that necessary for you to do it for yourself in private, then whatever...but that doesnt happen, it stays as the ringtone at all times, and goes off in public constantly.

I'm trying to understand if the buyers of the iPhone are these rude and thoughtless people, or a different demographic all together.
 
TenaciousPZ said:
I'm having a real hard time understanding the demographic of those who are actually going to buy this phone.

Obviously gadget-heads are interested, but not all can afford it. I hear as many people on this forum that are interested in buying as I hear people who are concerned about their credit because they've never owned their own phone before! WHAT!? Why are so many 19 and 20 years set on/able to purchase this phone? If you even have to question your credit, is it really smart to make this purchase?

Also, given some of the complaints/wishes/desires for this phone, its skews the demographic even more.

ie: The constant babble regarding mp3 files as ringtones. This implies using actual music as ringtones.

Am I alone in thinking this is the most ridiculous desire imaginable? Am I the only one who thinks its rude and terribly obnoxious when "Party Like a Rockstar" starts playing as someone's ringtone in a public place?

I personally hate ringtones in general and only ever use the Vibrate function of any phone, but I can deal with the mild, pleasant tones that the iPhone appears to carry by default. To me its just immature and silly to make your favorite song of the day as your ring tone. Nobody cares, nor wants to hear it. Now, if its that necessary for you to do it for yourself in private, then whatever...but that doesnt happen, it stays as the ringtone at all times, and goes off in public constantly.

I'm trying to understand if the buyers of the iPhone are these rude and thoughtless people, or a different demographic all together.
Click to expand...

wow. I sense a hint of ageism. I dont think it is either rude or thoughtless to have your favorite song as a ringtone. No more obnoxious than some of the ringers that come standard on the phone. Agreed some of the songs people have are obnoxious and annoying...i only have to listen to it for about 20 seconds and then i probably never see this person again. Your thoughts are your own and i dont think you should call people rude and thoughtless just because they (we) want to have a function that is on just about every phone.

as far as the credit is concerned. These people are younger and havent built credit yet. It is not a matter of not having the money. let them spend their hard earned money (or their parents) on what they want and let them enjoy their loud obnoxious ringtones in public. I've seen people from many different demographics with rigtones and/or credit issues. they are in the "not you" demographic.
 
What you are saying implies that ringtones in public are not rude. Its really hard to agree with that.


Edit: Granted not as rude as conversations in public, but I dislike it just the same.
 
TenaciousPZ said:
ie: The constant babble regarding mp3 files as ringtones. This implies using actual music as ringtones.

Am I alone in thinking this is the most ridiculous desire imaginable? Am I the only one who thinks its rude and terribly obnoxious when "Party Like a Rockstar" starts playing as someone's ringtone in a public place?

I personally hate ringtones in general and only ever use the Vibrate function of any phone, but I can deal with the mild, pleasant tones that the iPhone appears to carry by default. To me its just immature and silly to make your favorite song of the day as your ring tone. Nobody cares, nor wants to hear it. Now, if its that necessary for you to do it for yourself in private, then whatever...but that doesnt happen, it stays as the ringtone at all times, and goes off in public constantly.
Click to expand...

You completely read my mind. Vibrate or bust for me.
 
If you defend "Ringtones in public," and think its appropriate, then by that logic is appropriate in a restaurant? in a nursing home? and office building? the mall?

Where do you draw the line for appropriate and not and will you even care once you have the Phone?
 
TenaciousPZ said:
What you are saying implies that ringtones in public are not rude. Its really hard to agree with that.


Edit: Granted not as rude as conversations in public, but I dislike it just the same.
Click to expand...

maybe driving is rude because of traffic noise. i find it obnoxious when people scream into their phones in the grocery store for instance, but whatever i just chuckle and move on with my business. Im not implying that is is not rude I'm saying that it is not rude. That my friend is called an opinion and you dont have to agree with it. It is the way it works. get over yourself and realize their are other people in the world that may do things you dont agree with doesnt mean they are silly or immature.
 
I hate ringtones as well, I have the traditional ring, ring, or Vibrate (Lets hope it does that!).

In terms of Demographic

Age
13-16 - 3%
17-21 - 7%
22-30 - 50%
31-40 - 27%
41-50 - 6%
51-60 - 3%
60+ - 1%
 
I guess I see it this way: people love to customize their stuff. As an example of this, look at the way people customize their cars. Their is no way I would put two foot high spoiler on the back of my car....but some younger people love it. So I guess ringtones are an example of this. Hey, ringtones don't bother me that much, but talking so loud on a cell phone that everyone can hear bothers me. I was sitting in the Atlanta airport last week and could hear a guy talking very clearly across the aisle at another gate. Unbelievable.
 
Your thinking seems to be that people only choose their ringtones to annoy you. You said you have your phone on vibrate, well hearing a phone vibrate off a table is annoying to me. But really I can find so much more annoying thing people do.

As for High School kids wanting an iPhone, it's still the same old thing, you want to look cool in front of your friends. Back in high school I had a pager for work, and boy oh boy I was the coolest kid until everyone had pagers. Now if a parent is dumb enough to get their kid an iPhone well thats on them and their not teaching their kids about responsible living. Take for instance this girl I know. She is 21 her parents got her what she wanted and there was never any sense of financial responsibility. Now she is unemployed with a sidekick 3 and a new laptop that she bought after she lost her job. Now she has a plan to call her credit card company and tell them she can not pay her bill, she thinks this will be fine, mean while she is talking to her landlord and saying "Oh sorry I can't pay rent for a couple months'


now then the demographic of the iPhone is mainly men between the ages of 24-40 with a slightly higher income. Heh cool, thats me.

TenaciousPZ said:
If you defend "Ringtones in public," and think its appropriate, then by that logic is appropriate in a restaurant? in a nursing home? and office building? the mall?

Where do you draw the line for appropriate and not and will you even care once you have the Phone?
Click to expand...

we do not live in a totalitarian state.
 
TenaciousPZ said:
I'm having a real hard time understanding the demographic of those who are actually going to buy this phone.

Obviously gadget-heads are interested, but not all can afford it. I hear as many people on this forum that are interested in buying as I hear people who are concerned about their credit because they've never owned their own phone before! WHAT!? Why are so many 19 and 20 years set on/able to purchase this phone? If you even have to question your credit, is it really smart to make this purchase?

Also, given some of the complaints/wishes/desires for this phone, its skews the demographic even more.

ie: The constant babble regarding mp3 files as ringtones. This implies using actual music as ringtones.

Am I alone in thinking this is the most ridiculous desire imaginable? Am I the only one who thinks its rude and terribly obnoxious when "Party Like a Rockstar" starts playing as someone's ringtone in a public place?

I personally hate ringtones in general and only ever use the Vibrate function of any phone, but I can deal with the mild, pleasant tones that the iPhone appears to carry by default. To me its just immature and silly to make your favorite song of the day as your ring tone. Nobody cares, nor wants to hear it. Now, if its that necessary for you to do it for yourself in private, then whatever...but that doesnt happen, it stays as the ringtone at all times, and goes off in public constantly.

I'm trying to understand if the buyers of the iPhone are these rude and thoughtless people, or a different demographic all together.
Click to expand...

I'm quite pleased with the existing ringtones on the iPhone (from what I've seen on the iPhone Guided Tour), Marimba being my favorite ringtone I've heard thus far. It is nice and pleasant, and I agree with you that I can't stand it whenever people put their favorite songs (obnoxious ones, that is) as their ringtone either.
 
TenaciousPZ said:
If you defend "Ringtones in public," and think its appropriate, then by that logic is appropriate in a restaurant? in a nursing home? and office building? the mall?

Where do you draw the line for appropriate and not and will you even care once you have the Phone?
Click to expand...

there clearly is an etiquette. you turn off your phone at a restaurant, at the cinema, and in certain other social situations. that doesn't mean you can't have a ringtone when your phone is on.
 
From what I have seen Apple expects a target of around 32-33 year olds.

What I have seen in online forums is there are a LOT of males 15-22 breathing heavily over getting this phone. The question is how many of them are actually going to buy one and how many are just dreaming at this point.

I guess we will know soon enough, but the potential exists for this to be hitting an unexpected market. I am shocked how many young males are regular posting and anticipating the iPhone. I don't blame them, but I think the cost and restrictions of the device are prohibitive for most people in the 15-20 range at least.

The ringtone thing is a big one. Ringtone fascination is a very narrow and specfic and young demographic. I know a lot about this demographic. It is shocking that it is leaning over into the iPhone.

Only time will tell though if it is just a dreamer's interest or a concrete market place with actual buyers.

By the way I take a big exception to you classifying them all as rude and thoughtless. I have not found that at all, and I have not seen any with a more rude or thoughtless comment then the one you made at the end of your post. So take a look in the mirror.
 
Picture this. You are in a mall, there are hundreds of people around you, and you hear "Shinobi Vs Dragonninja" playing. I would know that this is my phone ringing.

Now, if everyone had the same standard ringtone, everyone would have to look at their phone.

And when you are at a resturant, the majority of people will turn it to silent or vibrate. Like I do.
 
synth3tik said:
Now if a parent is dumb enough to get their kid an iPhone well thats on them and their not teaching their kids about responsible living.
Click to expand...

Responsible living? Owning an iPhone does not mean a kid can't be responsible financially, or that their parents are dumb. Sure, it happens a lot where teens get spoiled with everything they ever want, go out into the world alone, and don't know how to hold back and manage their money. Teens have every right to own an iPhone or an expensive laptop. It's a different thing between providing for your teens, and not teaching them economic responsibility.
 
jackbenimble4 said:
Responsible living? Owning an iPhone does not mean a kid can't be responsible financially, or that their parents are dumb. Sure, it happens a lot where teens get spoiled with everything they ever want, go out into the world alone, and don't know how to hold back and manage their money. Teens have every right to own an iPhone or an expensive laptop. It's a different thing between providing for your teens, and not teaching them economic responsibility.
Click to expand...

I agree completely! Perhaps the kid has actually earned it. I don't see why you would see that as bad parenting.:rolleyes:
 
wow, sounds like a grumpy old man! i will be 21 on the 29 and i will be getting an iPhone that day! also i can afford it! the whole ring tone thing, i use a different ring tone for different people in my phone book, if some one is calling me i can just click it off in my pocket. also its fun, you sound like you need a Microsoft device! take a chill pill!
 
Nagooya said:
I agree completely! Perhaps the kid has actually earned it. I don't see why you would see that as bad parenting.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

So, what happens in 6 months when the next superphone comes out? Get them that phone too?

(Yes, I know fanboy, there will never be another iphone... save it :) )
 
Gonzlobo said:
So, what happens in 6 months when the next superphone comes out? Get them that phone too?

(Yes, I know fanboy, there will never be another iphone... save it :) )
Click to expand...

I would say if the child has earned it, sure why not. Give them the sense that "If I keep doing what I'm supposed to, I will get what I want" and that will stick with them for life.
 
Generally my phone is set to vibrate because I am A. Always at work(which is why I can buy and iPhone) or B.Always at school. But I do like to have the ringtone when I am at home or in my car or out and about, however I ALWAYS have it on vibrate when in quiet places like Movies, resturants, stores, and various other places. It feels like I'm rambling so that is all. Oh BTW I'm 19 I've worked for all the money to buy the iPhone and this Macbook that I am typing on. Age really has nothing to do with it I know a lot of people who are a lot older than me that are a lot less fiscally responsible.

That is all,
Steve
 
ewwww vibrate stick! (vibrastick)
i would say 90% of the kids 21 and under have earned it them self. i think the problem is that these grumpy old men are mad cause these young guns are raking in the penny's and the they them selfs cant afford it as much! (to the people that gripe about young people getting tech stuff!) why must we have this civil war!
 
retrospects said:
ewwww vibrate stick! (vibrastick)
i would say 90% of the kids 21 and under have earned it them self. i think the problem is that these grumpy old men are mad cause these young guns are raking in the penny's and the they them selfs cant afford it as much! (to the people that gripe about young people getting tech stuff!) why must we have this civil war!
Click to expand...

That would be my guess. :D

Cheers,
Steve
 
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