People don't like Apple's latest notification noise — because it's too quiet

iOS 17 is here, and with it have come a whole bevy of updates that make using your iPhone better. However, there is one new change that has invoked the ire of some users — and it’s all to do with the new default notification sound.

The change initially seems divisive, with some taking to X to comment on how much they like the new noise, but others are taking a more negative view — and it’s the actual volume of the sound that seems to be the main complaint.

Rebound vs Tritone; Why all the fuss?

This isn’t a problem that will plague any of the other notification sounds on your iPhone — ringtone, text tone, and other standard alerts can all have their sounds changed. It’s the app alerts that users aren’t happy about, and it’s easy to see why.

The new default sound replaces the traditional Tri-Tone alert noise with the new Rebound sound, which is noticeably quieter. One user on X says that the sound is ‘TINY’, while others note how hard it is going to be to get used to the sound.

To make matters worse, there is no way to change the app notification sound, so the users who aren’t happy with the change have no way to change it back. This leaves them stuck with a notification tone that doesn’t do what it’s supposed to — notify the user of something.

While there are a great deal of users who don’t seem bothered by the new tone, it is going to have to be something that Apple addresses in the next iOS 17 update. While liking the tone is a subjective thing, if it doesn’t do the job that it’s supposed to then it’s not a great notification sound.

iOS 17 is out now, and while the new notification sound isn’t spectacular, there are 5 other things that make it worth the update.