The iconic "ding" notification sound that billions of people hear daily was never supposed to exist.
In 1987, sound engineer Jim Reekes was working on system sounds for early Apple computers when he accidentally layered two different audio files. The result was a brief, pleasant chime that he almost deleted immediately.
Reekes kept the sound as a placeholder, planning to create something "more professional" later. But when Steve Jobs heard it during a demonstration, he insisted it stay. That accidental sound became the foundation for every notification sound that followed.
The psychological impact is staggering: studies show that this type of brief, ascending tone triggers dopamine release more effectively than almost any other sound pattern.
It's why every app, every device, every platform uses variations of Reekes' accident.
Today, variations of that original "mistake" are heard over 12 billion times per day across all digital devices. The sound that was supposed to be deleted has become humanity's most frequently heard audio experience, shaping how we interact with technology forever.