That special Airbnb sound is gone

[Ann72]

My iPhone updated last night, and today, Airbnb notifications are accompanied by a sound just like any other notification.  Not that other sound that @Gordon0  mentioned recently.  Can't get that one back.  I liked it because it was different from all the other notification sounds so I knew it was an Airbnb message.  Has anyone else noticed this, and is there a way to fix it?

[Ann72]

@Colleen253 @Patricia55 @Fred13 @Clara116 @Sarah977 @Robin4 

It IS an Apple issue.  Patricia was able to change the notification sound on her Android.  After the latest iPhone update, you can only change notification sounds on APPLE apps, not on any third-party apps.

😤

[Fred13]

Ah Ha! I want that exciting sound back! 😉

[Patricia55]

@Ann72  I'm not absolutely sure, but I think you should be able to attach the "ping" to the text message you get from Airbnb, assuming you've said that you want text notifications... (I think that's separate from the app...)

[Ann72]

@Patricia55  See my message above.  You can't do it on an iPhone.  I'm not talking about trying to do it within the app.  You would do it in Notifications on an iPhone's system settings.  Since the latest update, you can only choose sounds for APPLE APPS, not NON-APPLE APPS.

[Colleen253]

@Ann72  Darn. I was afraid of that being the case. Oh well, at least now I can still go listen to that special sound once in awhile, for old times sake. When I’m sick and tired of hearing that security camera tone I get instead. Which is all the time now 🙄 

[Ann72]

@Colleen253  😱

[Patricia55]

@Colleen253 
Haha, I've missed the “spangly-ping” sound too, and wonder if I'll ever hear it again, given that my calendar is blocked!

I've asked my tech-savvy pal with an iPhone if she thinks my workaround is do-able because I think it should be... albeit with a bit of faffing... I mean, it's basically about downloading a ringtone to your phone and then assigning that as a text message tone to Airbnb in your contacts book... Surely the iPhone people haven't banned that!
Oh, I'm not great at explaining tech stuff – just chuck your phone over here and I'll do it for you 😉

[Colleen253]

@Patricia55  I think we've all developed a positive conditioned response to that sound, lol. The new tone I get now is also associated with my security cameras, which tends to fill me with anxiety when I hear it 😳 But, maybe now I'll start to develop a more neutral response to it!

[Patricia55]

@Colleen253 

I'm very much with Pavlov's dog 😉

Aw, not had experience with security cameras, fortunately.

Hope things are OK where you are - I have no idea what's is going on in the UK but I suspect it's not great. Still, "mustn't grumble" 😉

[Ann72]

@Patricia55  That would be such a great workaround if all Airbnb messages came from the same number, but they don't.  However, all the recent "Congratulations! So-and-so is booked!" do seem to come from an odd hyphenated 6-digit number, so I'm going to give your workaround a try!  It should work as long as they don't change that number.  Will report back.

[Patricia55]

@Ann72  Just been checking... from as far back as 2017 my Airbnb sms have come from the same number (I think)... though it wouldn't surprise me if they used different numbers, just to keep us on our toes 😉
Oh, do give it a try! I must admit, I had to persevere, but I don't like to be beaten... it was great to finally get it to work 🙂

[Ann72]

@Patricia55  I'll definitely give it a try because I'm as determined as you are.

Apple makes it a challenge but not an insuperable one.  I have to connect my iPhone to my computer when I'm home later and drag the tone into the Finder window to get it onto my phone, since it doesn't just show up on the Apple-approved list of tones.  Apple would prefer that you buy a new one from iTunes!

[Patricia55]

@Ann72  Ahaa, of course, I should've known! The buying...
Good luck anyway 🙂
[I'm dying for someone to get it to work, as I did, to convince me that I'm not mad!!]

[Katie]

Hi everyone, just diving in here to confirm that @Ann72 is correct I'm afraid, the notification sounds are completely controlled by your own device's settings, so if you update to the latest iOS then it looks like this sound isn't supported for the Airbnb app. 

@Patricia55 great that you've found a workaround for Android and managed to get it back to the usual sound though! 👍

[Ann72]

Thank you @Katie 🌻

@Patricia55 On rereading your note I realized your friend hadn't tried since the iPhone update.  It's not possible, alas.

I've chosen a sound different from all the others to assign to the contact.  I'm sure I'll get used to it quickly and respond in Pavlovian fashion 💃💵💃