iPhone Dark Mode on iOS

[iTom17]

Dark mode implementation requires heavy lifting from app developers to ensure the color palette works on each app. Unlike panorama, dark mode isn't something Apple can work on behind the scenes and flip on suddenly.

If Apple wanted dark mode, they would have announced it during WWDC where millions of developers were tuned in.

How about dark mode in macOS Mojave? I mean, yeah, third-party apps need to be coded to take advantage of it. But it doesn't mean there can't be a dark mode 'the easy way': I'd be happy if Apple were to bring dark mode just to the native apps (e.g. settings, messages, mail, phone, calendar, Safari etc.).

As far as third-party apps: just like with every single year and every single major-update, developers need to update their apps to take advantage of certain features. That's in no way different than how it'd be with dark mode.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I agree September 2018 is a possibility for dark mode.

Although I find it somewhat hard to believe the 2018 OLED iPhone requires this level of feature rationing to sell units. Compared to the 6.1" LCD iPhone, the 2018 OLED iPhone already stands on its own by having two cameras, more RAM, 3D Touch, and a better display. Does Apple really need to ration dark mode to OLED devices? The upcoming iPad Pro with Face ID will also be LCD-based.

I don't think it's necessarily so much as something apple "needs" to do to sell devices as it is the question "is this something that Apple would do for it's premium products". Think of the "black tax" on the old MacBooks. Look at the current iMac Pro. Look at the price increase for the black stainless steel apple watch. It is not unusual for apple to reserve some sort of (typically darker) unique physical appearance for their premium products.

Even still, I agree that wouldn't be enough for Apple to make dark mode OLED exclusive. The key (in my mind) is that it could be marketed as the battery efficiency and deeper, truer blacks. Both of which can't be said for typical LCDs.

Also if apple were to implement across the line (not just OLED) then it wouldn't make any sense to announce it this fall. Obviously they would have announced it along with dark mode on macOS at WWDC.

 

[tgwaste]

No. Maybe in 2019 WWDC 2019. My opinion, as long as smart invert exist, I don’t see Apple venturing with dark mode.

Smart Invert is not Dark Mode. I wish people would stop with this nonsense already.

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

Eventually.. clearly we need to make more noise at Apple . . .

Apple are definitely aware of the desire for Dark Mode amongst a significant proportion of their user base. It’s been on the wish list of many for years and widely reported.
[doublepost=1528508254][/doublepost]

Is this the daily dark mode thread, since half a dozen of thers about it from the past few days are somehow already outdated?

It’s a popular feature request

 

[SL4VE]

This year Mac. Next year iPhone/iPad. That's the way Apple like to work.

 

[jongriff]

Also if apple were to implement across the line (not just OLED) then it wouldn't make any sense to announce it this fall. Obviously they would have announced it along with dark mode on macOS at WWDC.

I can see them announcing dark mode as a battery saving OLED feature that they also provide to the older phones “just because it looks awesome”. It would certainly add to the wow-factor of their September release although I think it’s unlikely (sadly).

 

[C DM]

Apple are definitely aware of the desire for Dark Mode amongst a significant proportion of their user base. It’s been on the wish list of many for years and widely reported.
[doublepost=1528508254][/doublepost]

It’s a popular feature request

Not really sure if multiple discussions about the same thing at about the same time with more or less the same type of things being brought up really does much (aside from repetition essentially).

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

Not really sure if multiple discussions about the same thing at about the same time with more or less the same type of things being brought up really does much (aside from repetition essentially).

You’ve been on this forum long enough to know that’s never gonna change.

And members (myself included) tend to contribute to several threads if they relate to a cause they support.

On the odd occasions where the forum does become too cluttered the Mods are able to merge certain threads together.

So it’s all good . . .

 

[44267547]

Smart Invert is not Dark Mode. I wish people would stop with this nonsense already.

Your Response doesn’t make any sense, because I never implied that dark mode is the same as smart invert. I simply stated that as long as smart invert exists, I don’t believe Apple will venture onto dark mode for reasons as such. Not sure how you construed those two as the same thing when I Made no such comment.

 

[bushman4]

So we’ve now seen dark mode and how awesome it looks on MacOS. Does anyone else think this is coming to iOS this year too but it’s not going to be shown off until September when they unveil the new iPhone?

Good Question. Being they’re polishing iOS 11 and making it 12 there’s a good chance they will take the ‘Smart Invert’
We now have and make it into a true Dark Mode
Apple has always been tough on giving people features they want

 

[penajmz]

I feel like we will see it this year.

 

[deuxani]

I read somewhere as a comment by an Apple dev on one of the WWDC demos that implementing dark mode on iOS is a lot more work than on macOS. It's not just making everything darker, it's also making it available for developers. It needs to be implemented systemwide so it's a lot of code changes.

If it was to come with iOS12 it would've been obvious. Look at how big the attention was on dark mode in macOS. If it was coming for iOS12 they would've definitely talked about it as the rest of the release is not earth shattering. I'm 99% certain it will not come this year. It's too big to keep it as a surprise for a next iPhone release (traces would've already been found in the code) and Apple would've gladly mentioned it. I also expect it next year with the redesign that was mentioned by Mark Gurman.

 

[C DM]

I read somewhere as a comment by an Apple dev on one of the WWDC demos that implementing dark mode on iOS is a lot more work than on macOS. It's not just making everything darker, it's also making it available for developers. It needs to be implemented systemwide so it's a lot of code changes.

If it was to come with iOS12 it would've been obvious. Look at how big the attention was on dark mode in macOS. If it was coming for iOS12 they would've definitely talked about it as the rest of the release is not earth shattering. I'm 99% certain it will not come this year. It's too big to keep it as a surprise for a next iPhone release (traces would've already been found in the code) and Apple would've gladly mentioned it. I also expect it next year with the redesign that was mentioned by Mark Gurman.

Wouldn't the same type of things essentially apply to macOS as well?

 

[kmj2318]

Watch the the dark mode wwdc session, they give a lot of hints on exactly what changes developers should keep in mind for both macOS and iOS. And the presenters are praising dark mode heavily. This is a case when Apple is giving a clear hint to developers without ruining the surprise to the public. Remember when fluid layouts were released the wwdc before the iPhone 6? They basically told developers that new sized phones are coming without saying it. This is the same thing.

 

[C DM]

Watch the the dark mode wwdc session, they give a lot of hints on exactly what changes developers should keep in mind for both macOS and iOS. And the presenters are praising dark mode heavily. This is a case when Apple is giving a clear hint to developers without ruining the surprise to the public. Remember when fluid layouts were released the wwdc before the iPhone 6? They basically told developers that new sized phones are coming without saying it. This is the same thing.

What would be so new/different about the iPhone this year to make it something like that?

 

[kmj2318]

What would be so new/different about the iPhone this year to make it something like that?

My point was that Apple likes to hint what developers should do without being explicit about it. Developers had to get their apps updated to work for the new sizes after the September iPhone event. That's me refuting the argument that developers won't have enough time.

Updating apps to work with Mojave is quite painless, you just have to remove hard coded colors, choose your colors for light and dark modes, and maybe redraw some icons. Devs can easily make that transition quickly.

 

[C DM]

My point was that Apple likes to hint what developers should do without being explicit about it. Developers had to get their apps updated to work for the new sizes after the September iPhone event. That's me refuting the argument that developers won't have enough time.

Updating apps to work with Mojave is quite painless, you just have to remove hard coded colors, choose your colors for light and dark modes, and maybe redraw some icons. Devs can easily make that transition quickly.

In one case not announcing it made sense given that the new phones that were of a different format weren't announced, but in this case it doesn't really seem like there's really anything to it for them to essentially hide it somehow (especially when they actually announced it for macOS).

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

What would be so new/different about the iPhone this year to make it something like that?

As posted earlier, it is expected that for the first time there will be an iPhone with the form factor of the current X, but with an LCD screen.

That gives Apple the opportunity to differentiate should they choose to do so.

 

[gaanee]

It seems unlikely that Apple would differentiate LCD and OLED models based on the dark mode. Normally, the differentiating factor is hardware feature, e.g. dual camera on the Plus.
Since, dark mode is such a highly requested feature, it will drive customers to the OLED iPhone X and result in poor sales for the LCD model defeating the investment in newly rumored LCD tech.

 

[jongriff]

It seems unlikely that Apple would differentiate LCD and OLED models based on the dark mode. Normally, the differentiating factor is hardware feature, e.g. dual camera on the Plus.
Since, dark mode is such a highly requested feature, it will drive customers to the OLED iPhone X and result in poor sales for the LCD model defeating the investment in newly rumored LCD tech.

The differentiation isn’t going to be based on a dark mode, rather the widely expected better camera, screen, speed etc etc. The selling point of the LCD model will obviously be price.

Although it seems that this is an outside chance the argument being made here is that it is plausible that a dark mode could be added to the OLED phones as an additional wow-factor (on top of the extra X features) which may or may not make it into the LCD models but without the battery saving benefits.

 

[gaanee]

Usually iOS looks and runs the same on all iPhones from that year.. and if Apple is indeed investing in the new LCD tech, it seems unlikely that they will omit one of the most requested features from that model. They would actually want to show that the new LCD is on par with the OLED screens.
Even if the LCD screens do not benefit from the dark mode in terms of battery life, it certainly wouldn't hurt.

Edit: iOS 11 on iPhone 8 and X was different though, because of new gestures on the X

 

[Jimpilot]

Everybody has an opinion, looking forward to this fall and seeing if it appears or we have to wait until next year.

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

It seems unlikely that Apple would differentiate LCD and OLED models based on the dark mode. Normally, the differentiating factor is hardware feature . . .

Normally perhaps, but Siri was an exception when they used it to market the 4S.

 

[TheSkywalker77]

I can't see it happening in iOS 12 as they said nothing about it in the keynote a few days ago, hoping for it tho.

Maybe in iOS 13 we'll see it?

 

[xaqt93]

Personally, I think Apple trolled us all..Haha. We wanted it for the iPhone, it came to the Mac. Haha