You know that old saying about how you wait around for one dark mode to turn-up – and then two of the b*ggers turn up at the same time?
Well, it seems that applies to the long-rumoured, much-requested WhatsApp dark mode. Despite the first whispers of the new appearance surfacing over a year ago, the Facebook-owned app has still not rolled-out the update its chat app.
Both iOS 13 and Android 10 include system-wide dark modes, which switch all of the glaringly white parts of the user interface to gloomier greys and pitch-blacks to make the experience easier on your eyes when using your smartphone late at night – and saving battery life on devices with OLED panels.
Following the launch of these updates in September and August, respectively, third-party developers rushed to support the new gloomier appearance. After all, any apps that didn’t switch to a darker look with the operating system now stand out like a sore thumb and can be a real battery life-drain.
Facebook has already updated its hugely-successful Instagram app to support the new look on both iOS and Android. And yet, despite evidence unearthed in beta versions of the app suggesting WhatsApp has been experimenting with dark mode for close to 18-months… there’s still nothing from the firm.
But now, we might finally have an idea why.
According to WABetaInfo.com, the latest WhatsApp beta version suggests WhatsApp is working on two different dark modes – with a third option possible on the way soon too. As it stands, the first dark mode implementation uses a grey tone for the background with jet-black used for menu items and other interactive parts of the app.
And the second option is the opposite, with the pitch-black colour used for the background of the app and a lighter grey found for all the menu items. This one seems like the one that will prove most popular with smartphone owners with OLED screens – since the greater expanse of the pitch-black shade should see a battery life bump.
This is an interesting approach to bringing a dark mode to the app. While some programs use grey tones and others opt for the pitch-black look, WhatsApp is handing over the choice to its users. And according to the code unearthed by beta-diggers WABetaInfo, there’s even preparation some an unknown third theme option.
It’s possible the latter will be the dark navy blue option spotted in some earlier beta versions.
Interestingly, parent company Facebook chose to use the jet-black appearance when it introduced dark mode to Instagram earlier this month.
Meanwhile, rival Twitter offers a similar choice as WhatsApp looks set to introduce – a dark mode with the same deep grey tones as WhatsApp, as well as its Lights Out that uses the deep blacks needed to boost your phone battery. There’s no official release date for WhatsApp dark mode, but we’ll keep you in the loop as soon as we hear anything. So, stay tuned for the latest WhatsApp updates.