We live in the era of silent mode, but remember when your phone was the loudest thing in the room? Before smartphones and high-speed data killed the premium ringtone business, tech companies were racing to create the most iconic sounds on earth. From Nokia’s classical guitar roots to the “little tunes” we now take for granted, there’s a whole history of tech sounds we’ve stopped noticing. Here’s a look back at why we used to care so much about a 10-second sound bite.
