iPhone users are paying for a ringtone that is free on BlackBerry phones
Apple users have been paying money for a ringtone on the iTunes Store that comes free with all BlackBerry phones.
No, BlackBerry hasn't tricked people as part of a viral marketing campaign. It's related to the hit Netflix show "House of Cards," a TV series about politicians in the US. Just like in real life, most of the politicians in the show use BlackBerry phones.
Here's a still from the show depicting lead character Frank Underwood with his trusty BlackBerry:
Netflix
And here's what the ringtone sounds like:
Sound familiar? It should - Frank Underwood's ringtone is the default BlackBerry "Spirit" ringtone that comes free with all BlackBerry phones.
Ringtone companies are selling knockoff versions of BlackBerry Spirit because "House of Cards" has made it so distinctive.
While the BlackBerry ringtone is still free, there are lots of versions of the "House of Cards ringtone" up for sale on the iTunes Store. For example, this is what you see when you when search for "House of Cards" in the ringtone section of the iTunes Store:
iTunes Store
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- A centenarian who starts her day with gentle exercise and loves walks shares 5 longevity tips, including staying single
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- 7 Nutritious and flavourful tiffin ideas to pack for school
- India's e-commerce market set to skyrocket as the country's digital economy surges to USD 1 Trillion by 2030
- Top 5 places to visit near Rishikesh
- Indian economy remains in bright spot: Ministry of Finance
- A surprise visit: Tesla CEO Elon Musk heads to China after deferring India visit