Several months ago, Google hinted that dark mode would be coming to its Phone app for Android (the dialler app for Android). The company did not state when exactly the feature would be launched, but the good news is that it looks like we could be getting close as some users who are using the beta version of the app are seeing the feature.
However like we said, this is only for those who are participating in the beta testing of the app, so if you are not part of the beta program then you obviously won’t be seeing it until Google has decided to make it available for all users. In terms of functionality, it doesn’t change how the Phone app works and it pretty much only gives users the option to toggle a dark mode for the app.
For those who aren’t necessarily a fan of Google’s material design that incorporates a lot of white, which can be glaring in the dark, this is probably a welcome feature. In fact it kind of reminds us of the good old days of early Android where Google chose darker colors for its theme.
That being said in addition to being potentially less strenuous on the eyes, Google has also confirmed that dark mode can save battery life by a considerable amount. We imagine that this is especially true for OLED displays where individual pixels can be turned on/off.