What is a ringle, you ask? Well, it’s a new product that conveniently packages a hit song and a digital ringtone in the near end-of-life CD single. For $5.98 or $6.98.

Or, to put it more simply, it’s the stupid person’s idea of a clever person’s new media format.

“Each ringle is expected to contain three songs–one hit and maybe one remix and an older track–and one ringtone, on a CD with a slip-sleeve cover,” Billboard explains. “The idea is that if consumers in the digital age can download any tracks they want individually, why not let them buy singles in the store as well?”

Wow. If that’s the best the industry can come up with, Apple has nothing to worry about.

(Image courtesy the Megatron Don)