Perhaps the first such study: vendor Qpass is estimating that about $40 million of revenues have been lost in U.S. since 2004 due to ringtone piracy. A further $123 million U.S. will be lost by 2007.
Two thirds of web sites tested offered preview music files between 15 and 30 seconds, the perfect length to convert into a ringtone. USer grab that and transfer it to their phones.
Out of the sites tested, 40 percent of carrier sites and 31 percent of other portals such as online music stores and entertainment sites were unsecured.
Qpass points out that the ringtone market presently accounts for between 6 and 10 per cent of music industry revenues.
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