Circles is one of the default alert tones introduced with Apple's iOS 7 in 2013, part of a refreshed set of ringtones and notifications for iPhone. Its name comes from its listing in the sounds settings rather than from a song or character. As short-form video grew, creators began dropping familiar phone tones into edits to signal a new message without showing a real device. Similar cues like the Discord Notification became editing shorthand, and Circles stayed popular because viewers recognise it instantly even when no phone is visible on screen.