Apple's iTunes launches first authorized Beatles ringtones

More than a year after finally adding the Beatles' historic album catalog to its iTunes digital music storefront, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is now expanding its partnership with the Fab Four to offer exclusive ringtones spotlighting the band's 27 U.S. and U.K. Number One hits.

The iTunes partnership heralds the first authorized release of Beatles ringtones. The 30-second ringtones are priced at $1.29 each and include pop classics like "She Loves You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "Yellow Submarine," "Hey Jude" and "Let It Be."

Apple began selling all 13 original Beatles studio albums as well as the Past Masters singles collection, a pair of greatest hits packages and a digital box set encompassing all of the group's recordings in November 2010. Despite concerns that most fans would have already obtained the Beatles catalog so late into the digital music era, consumers nevertheless downloaded more than 2 million tracks during their first week of iTunes availability, led by sales of "Here Comes the Sun." The Beatles also moved more than 450,000 full-length album downloads during that time, led by the monumental Abbey Road.

Consumers around the globe still spend close to $2.2 billion annually on personalization services like ringtones and ringbacks according to Gartner data issued late last year. Gartner anticipates ringtones and ringbacks will decline in the years to come, however, with sales slumping to $1.4 billion in 2015. The firm forecasts total annual digital music revenues (including premium downloads and streaming services) are on pace to reach $6.8 billion in 2012 and $7.7 billion in 2015.

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