Podcast series takes a close look at Apple system sounds
Many sounds emitted by the iPhone, iPad or Mac are almost iconic. How are they created? A podcast series explains.
A MacBook.
(Image: borisoot wattanarat/Shutterstock.com)
"Sosumi", "Sonar", "Submerge" or the famous startup sound of the Mac: many of the system sounds that Apple devices emit have achieved cult status - or at least a high recognition value. But how are these sounds created, and what thoughts do the creators put into them? In addition to the historical sounds, some of which have been used for decades, Apple regularly develops the sounds further. The English-language podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz, which is dedicated to the stories behind the "most famous and interesting sounds in the world", now provides an answer to this question. In a two-part podcast (episode 1, episode 2) with a total running time of one hour, members of the Apple design team, among others, have their say.
From Tri-Tone to haptics
For example, Billy Sorrentino, the Design Leader responsible for user experience and core interactions, talks about the background to the latest notification sounds used by Apple. Also on the podcast are Hugo Verweij, Apple sound designer, and media producer Kelly Jacklin, who worked on the iPhone's famous "Tri-Tone".
Interestingly, the podcast series is not just about sounds alone. In the second episode, you can also hear how Apple uses haptic elements via the Haptic Engine to alert users. Haptics is a "separate instrument" for the team, so to speak. DJ and producer Flying Lotus also has his say. The series also discusses the sounds of the Apple Watch and the sounds used in the AirPods Pro as part of the sonic user interface.
Dozens of episodes on the sound that surrounds us
Twenty Thousand Hertz had previously published episodes on the sounds of the London Underground, the Netflix sound before every movie and series, the McDonald's audio logo and the Windows log-on sound. The archive of dozens of episodes dates back to 2016, when the podcast started with an episode about Apple's voice assistant Siri.
However, Apple doesn't always manage to hit the mark with its sounds. Recently, for example, there was criticism of the changed default sound for HomeKit notifications, which is quickly drowned out and still cannot be changed with simple measures.
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