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John Gruber at Daring Fireball has an excellent article about the implementation of the new ringtone service for the iPhone. Between the sporadic performance, the uninformative error messages, and the bizarre terms of service, it’s clear that Apple just got this one wrong.

To be fair, Apple is hamstrung by the limitations that the labels have put on the music. And Apple’s pricing is more competitive than other ringtone services. But overall, the user experience is not what users have come to expect from Apple.

From the beginning of the iTunes Music Store, it has felt like Apple has been in charge, and the labels have been forced to come along for the ride. With over 70% of the market for digital music, you would think that Apple would still have the same clout. But there are some new players on the field, and there have been some high-profile defections. The record labels might be getting overly confident.

This new service certainly feels like the labels are calling the shots.

UPDATE: Brian Tiemann agrees.

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