Your new iPhone 14 Pro can play a sound as soon as it boots up - just like the Mac

Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro
Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro (Image credit: Apple)

There was a lot to take in at Apple's event on September 7, where the iPhone 14 lineup, Apple Watch 8 and Ultra products, and the AirPods Pro 2 were all announced and showcased.

However, looking at the smaller details for these new products is always an interesting pastime before they're available to buy, as you can discover small touches that may make you reconsider how you use your Apple device.

While this small new feature won't make a difference to your day-to-day use for your new iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, it's still a great feature for those with visual impairments so users can know when the device is booting up.

Accessibility can take a lot of forms, and this is something that's been in some Apple products since 1984, such as the Mac.

Booting up with a chime

Found in Settings > Accessibility if you have an iPhone 14 Pro model on iOS 16, you will be able to enable a sound whenever you need to restart or switch on your iPhone.

It's reminiscent of the boot-up sound that has been with the Mac ever since it debuted in 1984. While the chime has changed throughout the years, the startup sound has remained an iconic part of the Mac, and now it's extended its reach to the iPhone - but this time it's mainly to benefit those with accessibility needs.

Granted, it's exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max with the new A16 Bionic chip, but it's a start and something that we can expect to see in more iPhone models in the coming years.

Daryl Baxter
Software & Downloads Writer

Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he's written a book, 'The Making of Tomb Raider'. His second book, '50 Years of Boss Fights', came out in June 2024, and has a newsletter, 'Springboard'. He's usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that's about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.