It seems as though Google Photos will be the next in a long list of Google apps to be given the much loved dark mode treatment.
XDA Developers shared pics of the new dark mode and it looks really nice. The update will stay in line with Google’s other dark mode updates, the colours matching the dark grey tones with contrasting coloured icons sported by the other Google-made apps that have undergone dark mode updates over the past few months.
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Unfortunately, the wallpaper not being pure black means that OLED device owners will not be able to reap the battery saving benefits inherent to a true black dark mode. This works in select apps by switching pixels off entirely in black sections rather than lighting them up on OLED screens, saving some juice.
Regardless, the toned down dark greys will still feel significantly easier on the eyes when you’re scrolling through your pics at night and could even improve the readability of photo album names and dates. It is certainly a step up from the bright white synonymous with Google apps by default.
Related: Dark mode: The popular apps you should try dark mode on right now
Google Photos follows in the footsteps of a long line of Google apps to get the dark mode makeover recently including Google Chrome, Google News, Google Keep and Google Calendar. Even Google Maps has a darker map view set to activate automatically when you need to navigate at night.
Google is currently speeding to get all of its apps ready to go for the launch of Android Q. Android fans are expecting a system-wide dark theme across all supported applications in Android Q and Google isn’t set to disappoint.
Dark mode is rolling out on Google Photos over the coming weeks so be sure to update your app soon if you want to be one of the first to take advantage of this nifty little feature. To make sure you have the latest version, head into Google Play and over to the ‘My apps and games’ section. We’re not sure whether the dark mode comes via an update or by Google itself. To check if the dark mode is working you’ll need to have a dark wallpaper applied.
This has been a big week for dark modes, with Apple adding it as an official feature in iOS 13 and it looking like it’ll be a big feature on whatever the iPhone 11 might bring.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.