Apple brought back the familiar startup chime with macOS 11. It might seem like a small change, but it's actually a big deal.

- Apple's latest operating system, macOS 11 Big Sur, brought back the signature startup chime that signals to a user that the computer is booting up.
- Tech columnist Jason Aten argues that while this change is simple if not unnecessary for some, it's actually more important than just a fun addition.
- The chime is part of Apple's identity, he says, and creating that consistency among
Apple products fosters affection and loyalty for the brand from customers.
Apple's latest operating system, macOS 11 Big Sur, looks very different from what it replaced. We can debate later whether that's a good thing, but Apple certainly didn't hold back in bringing many of the design elements of iOS to the desktop computer.
In my opinion, there's plenty to like, and even more that will take some getting used to. It's also pretty standard with a major software update that includes a redesign this dramatic.
One thing, however, should be familiar to long-time Mac users: Apple brought back the startup chime.That's actually a bigger deal than it might seem.
The startup chime had been around since the original Macintosh, though at the time it was more of a beep. Over the years, the chime changed several times, but the purpose was the same: to tell a user that the computer's hardware had passed diagnostic tests and was working properly. When you heard it, you knew your Mac was going to boot up.
In 2016, the startup chime went away. At the time, Apple didn't say anything about why it was removing the sound you hear when you start up a Mac. Most likely, removing the startup chime was a signal that the Mac is like the iPhone or iPad in that they're essentially always on.In fact, with the
Over time, however, the startup chime took on an entirely different purpose.
It became a part of the experience of using a Mac.
It was as integral as the icons or the logo or the shape of the device. It was familiar. In fact, even when you purchased a new Mac, even one that might look quite different from the one it replaced, your very first experience was the same when you turned it on.
There is something valuable about the peace of mind that comes with familiarity. It makes something new less uncertain.In a November 15 interview on the "Mac Power Users" podcast, Kurt Knight, Apple's senior director of platform product marketing, talked about the decision around the change:
"I don't think it's change for change's sake," he said. "This really is that honoring the Mac. Things like bringing back the boot chime. But we didn't just bring back the boot chime, we remastered everything. Everything's higher quality than it was before. We kept that sort of attention to detail, so there's also consistency across platforms because [the] vast majority of Mac users also have an iPhone, an iPad, so having consistency of things like app icons is super valuable."
I think it's worth mentioning that by "honoring the Mac," really, Apple was honoring the people who love using the Mac and care about its history. Bringing back the boot chime isn't functional. There's literally no technical reason it needs to be there, and it only serves one purpose — to delight the user.1.28 lakh people over 60 years get 1st dose of COVID vaccine on first day
Chinese hackers target Indian vaccine makers SII and Bharat Biotech: Report
GST revenue up 7% year-on-year in February to over ₹1.13 lakh crore
Here is the list of common side-effects of COVID-19, so that you don't panic if you get these
These are the top 10 likely IPOs scheduled in March 2021
Next