We’ve all been there, tucked in bed with that familiar feeling of dread as the morning alarm goes off. Desperately in search of a few extra minutes of shut-eye, we hurriedly hit the snooze button. But have you ever stopped to wonder why Apple’s snooze setting is a peculiar 9 minutes? Let’s explore the history behind this little digital quirk.
Homage to Horology
The nine-minute snooze duration on Apple’s clocks isn’t a random number picked during a company icebreaker. Instead, it has a backstory rooted deep in time – mechanical clocks, to be precise. Back when alarm clocks first became a thing, inventors had to work around the limitations of the gear design.
As a result, the nine-minute snooze was born. Pre-digital alarm clocks depended on rotating gears, and due to their internal mechanism, a ten-minute snooze would have required a significant redesign and added complexity. Thus, engineers opted for the nine-minute interval. Though digital clocks can now easily accommodate other timing options, many brands (including Apple) have maintained this nine-minute duration.
How to Change Apple’s 9-Minute Snooze
Unfortunately, Apple does not allow you to change the default 9-minute snooze duration directly from the ‘Clock’ app settings. But you can work your way around both within the app or via the Apple Store.
The No-Download Way
If downloading a new clock app or alarm app isn’t an option for you, you can set multiple alarms with your desired snooze interval. We like to keep a 15-minute interval on our snoozes, here’s how you can do just that:
- Open the Clock app on your iPhone. (It’s usually in the Utilities category on your App Library)
- Go to the Alarms tab using the bottom ribbon.
- Tap on the ‘+’ (plus) icon in the top right corner.
- Set the time you want your first alarm and then turn off ‘Snooze’.
- Click ‘Save’.
- Tap on the ‘+’ icon again to create your next alarm, this time with the desired gap between the first.
- Repeat steps 3 to 6 for as many ‘snoozes’ you want at your chosen intervals.
Although, this method admittedly takes more effort especially if you know that other phone makers allow you to change the snooze interval with their default clock.
Third-Party Apps
To customize the interval using third-party applications, you’ll need to download an alternative alarm clock app from the App Store. Many of these apps like ‘Alarmy’, ‘Sleep Cycle’, and ‘Progressive Alarm Clock’ among others offer more flexibility in their snooze settings.
For instance, ‘Alarmy’ allows you to manually set the snooze time to any length you want. Similarly, ‘Sleep Cycle’ allows for personalized wake-up phases, and ‘Progressive Alarm Clock’ offers a gradually increasing alarm sound which can be a more peaceful way to wake up.
Once you’ve downloaded your app of choice, manage the snooze interval by diving into the settings of the respective application. Each app has its own configuration, but typically, you can go to ‘Settings’ -> ‘Alarm settings’ -> ‘Snooze duration’ (or similar) and adjust it to your desired interval.
In Conclusion: Thanks, Old-School Alarm Clocks!
Whether you’re an iPhone owner, a mechanical clock aficionado, or just someone who appreciates a good ol’ history lesson, it’s fascinating to discover the origins behind everyday tech quirks. Apple’s choice to maintain the nine-minute snooze isn’t just a mysterious company secret—it’s rooted in history and practical design.
By the way, should you want a different snooze duration, worry not! There are plenty of third-party alarm apps available that let you personalize snooze intervals to fit your lifestyle, because sometimes you just need that extra minute.
The iPhone 15 is available from Best Buy.
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