FunMobility, a provider of wireless community and media services, has launched Ringtone Recorder Pro, a premium version of the Ringtone Recorder application.

Ringtone Recorder is currently a free Top 20 application available in the iTunes Store that has allowed the creation of more than one million new ringtones to date. Ringtone Recorder Pro is the first and only iPhone application that lets users record and share original ringtones for themselves or friends.

"The strategy behind the launch of Ringtone Recorder Pro is the same strategy we've been employing for 10 years now - responding to consumer feedback," said Adam Lavine, CEO of FunMobility, Pleasanton, CA. "We knew consumers loved the functionality of the original Ringtone Recorder, but wanted better fidelity, storage and sharing options.

"So we invested engineering time in making that happen and gave it a spiffy new user interface, and decided to offer the new functionality as a paid pro version," he said.

FunMobility is a mobile social community that claims to have served more than 55 million customers and more than 1 billion pieces of content since 2002.

In addition to its direct-to-consumer web site, FunMo.com, FunMobility is available through 27 carriers and more than 400 handsets worldwide.

The target demographic for the Pro version is men and women ages 16-26.

Currently the plan for Ringtone Recorder Pro is to keep advertising out of the applications, with the exception of links to other FunMobility applications.

Rebooted based on customer feedback, Ringtone Recorder Pro's improvements from the original Ringtone Recorder include higher-quality audio resolution, the ability to store unlimited ringtones, ringtone sharing and a new animated user interface.

To date, more than one million users have downloaded the free application since its original launch in late February 2009.

FunMobility is setting the price point at $0.99 for Ringtone Recorder Pro.

FunMobility's other mobile applications include Wallpaper Universe, America's Best Mobile Pix, YouTones, aFLIX: Share ur Vids, MyShow, Ringtones Universe, TrueTones Universe, FunGirl DISH, Chick Talk, Mobile Comics Network, Personalized Wallpaper, MyScreenz, MyTonz and FunMobility Animated Greetings.

Many mobile content providers are mixing a pay-per-download strategy with an ad-supported model.

"The free version of Ringtone Recorder is monetized through advertising, as well as promoting some of our other popular iPhone apps like FunTones and Smack Me," Mr. Lavine said. "We don't get a full report on all the brands that advertise within Ringtone Recorder, but it seems like there are a lot of ringtone advertisements in there, which make sense given the type of app that it is.

"To some degree we're promoting competing services, but we're pleased with the results so far, and it hasn't seemed to dampen consumer enthusiasm for either Ringtone Recorder or Ringtone Recorder Pro," he said.