This Can't Be a Coincidence: Windows Vista Sound Returns to Windows 11, Just as Apple's 'Liquid Glass' Similarities Surface
Microsoft's latest Windows 11 Insider Preview build has unexpectedly brought back the Windows Vista startup sound, replacing the usual Windows 11 chime. The best part of this release is that it happened just as Apple unveiled macOS 26, which has a new 'Liquid Glass' design that many say is similar to Windows Vista's Aero Glass look from 2006. The timing makes me wonder whether Microsoft intended this as a response to Apple's design choices, but the company says it was simply a bug.
In the release notes for the latest Windows 11 preview, Microsoft addressed the issue directly, as reported by Windows Central:
This week's flight comes with a delightful blast from the past and will play the Windows Vista boot sound instead of the Windows 11 boot sound. We're working on a fix.
Brandon LeBlanc from the Windows Insider team also commented on social media, first joking about the return of the sound but then clarifying that it was not intentional. According to reports from users and those examining the system files, the Windows Vista sound file was found in place of the Windows 11 startup sound file, which means the change was due to a technical error rather than a planned update.
There is no evidence to say this was a deliberate action by Microsoft, and all official statements say it was a bug that will be corrected soon. But when do official statements ever agree on things like this? Either way, I loved this little banter/dig from Microsoft. What do you think: Did Microsoft deliberately do it?
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