Two variations of Dark theme are reportedly being developed for the iOS version of WhatsApp
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Whether you’re using Android or iOS, Dark theme is all the rage these days. Both Android 10 and iOS 13 feature system-wide Dark theme settings and more and more apps are including such an option. Why? for a couple of reasons, really. At night, or in a darkened room, the usual white background (with black text) can strain the user’s eyes and annoy innocent bystanders. In Dark theme, the black or gray background with white text isn’t as offensive to one’s eyes.
Besides saving your eyesight, there is another reason to toggle on Dark theme; for phones sporting an AMOLED display, using Dark theme can save some battery life. That’s because OLED panels create the color black by turning off all pixels in the appropriate area of the screen; pixels that are turned off do not draw energy from the battery. But keep in mind that to save battery life, the version of Dark theme used by an app must have a black background, not a dark gray one.
Now you might recall that back in March, the beta version of WhatsApp for Android received a Dark theme feature, but only on the settings page. Because this configuration used a version of Dark theme with a gray background, those testing it did not score any additional battery life. And in fact, Android users with the public version of WhatsApp have yet to receive the feature at this point in time. As for iOS users who employ WhatsApp, they could end up with one of two different versions of Dark theme according to WABetaInfo.com. For those of you unfamiliar with WhatsApp, it is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world and is owned by Facebook.
“While it isn’t clear which one will be found on the iOS version of WhatsApp, the first configuration is the one that Facebook has decided to use for Instagram.”
It seems that when Apple released the system-wide Dark theme for iOS 13, WhatsApp’s developers went back to the drawing board and came up with a new version of Dark theme from scratch. WABetaInfo.com says that two different configurations are being developed. One uses a dark black background while the second configuration uses a lighter gray. The first variant would seem to offer the best battery life savings. Both versions have the same configuration for Dark bubbles.
While it isn’t clear which one will be found on the iOS version of WhatsApp, the first configuration is the one that Facebook has decided to use for Instagram. The report does speculate that the app itself might choose from the two options depending on the settings of the iOS device that has the app installed.
Apparently, the Dark theme feature for WhatsApp is still being developed so it might be sometime before iOS and Android users get the opportunity to try it out on the public version of the respective apps.
Questions & Answers
Q.What are the primary benefits of using a Dark theme setting in apps?
What are the primary benefits of using a Dark theme setting in apps?
Dark theme reduces eye strain, especially in low light conditions, by using a dark background with light text. For phones with an AMOLED display, a black background Dark theme can also help conserve battery life.
Q.Why did the beta version of Dark theme for WhatsApp on Android not save battery life?
Why did the beta version of Dark theme for WhatsApp on Android not save battery life?
The beta version for Android, which was only on the settings page, used a grey background for its Dark theme. To save battery life on AMOLED displays, the Dark theme needs a true black background, not a dark grey one.
Q.Which of the two Dark theme versions for iOS WhatsApp is likely to offer better battery savings?
Which of the two Dark theme versions for iOS WhatsApp is likely to offer better battery savings?
One of the two configurations being developed uses a dark black background, while the other uses a lighter grey. The dark black background variant would seemingly offer the best battery life savings for users.
Q.When can users expect to try out the Dark theme feature on public versions of WhatsApp?
When can users expect to try out the Dark theme feature on public versions of WhatsApp?
The Dark theme feature for WhatsApp is still in development. It might be some time before both iOS and Android users get the opportunity to try it out on the public version of their respective apps.
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