It's not often that you hear a personalized ringtone in public these days, and it usually elicits blank stares. With the ubiquity of smartphones, there are other ways to express your style without annoying the person sitting next to you on the bus, such as wallpapers and phone cases. Experts attribute the decline of ringtones to the fall of Nokia and the rise of the iPhone. According to Heckenberger, common sounds are missed opportunities. Yes, custom ringtones are definitely out of fashion.
In fact, any kind of ringtone is out of fashion. So what's trending instead? Keeping your phone on the table so you can constantly check it. Another trend that seems to be gaining traction is not worrying about it. More and more people are realizing that too much screen time is a bad thing.
They're understanding that text messages, calls, and social notifications aren't the only thing in life. Remember the Crazy Frog of the early 2000s? It was one of the most downloaded ringtones ever. Those who still use musical ringtones can appreciate not only their sound, but also what they say about their choice.
