Google's Next Big Android Update Can Force Dark Mode and Icon Themes (theverge.com)
- Reference: 0178812022
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/08/21/209213/googles-next-big-android-update-can-force-dark-mode-and-icon-themes
- Source link: https://www.theverge.com/news/763334/google-android-16-qpr2-beta-1-availability
> The beta includes a new dark theme option that will "intelligently invert the UI of apps that appear light despite users having selected the dark theme" when enabled, according to [3]Google's announcement , forcibly making apps that don't natively support the feature to appear darker. Google says this is "largely intended as an accessibility feature" for users with low vision or photosensitivity, and will also automatically darken app splash screens and adjust status bar colors to match the darker theming.
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> Another feature will allow users to forcibly apply themed icon colors to apps that don't natively support them. Android's icon theming currently only works if app developers have provided a monochrome version of their app icon that can be adjusted, which is annoying for users who want to apply a consistent aesthetic across their entire home page. Auto-themed app icons spare developers from adding this capability manually, removing the hassle for users to customize their phone's theme.
The full list of features in the QPR2 beta 1 update can be found on the [4]Android developers' blog .
[1] https://www.theverge.com/news/763334/google-android-16-qpr2-beta-1-availability
[2] https://blog.google/feed/2025-new-parental-controls-android/
[3] https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/android-16-qpr2-beta-1-is-here.html
[4] https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/08/android-16-qpr2-beta-1-is-here.html
Dark mode is unreadable. (Score:1)
Damn. I don't want to buy an iPhone, but I may have to, because I cannot read dark mode text.
Re: (Score:2)
Nobody's forcing you to use it.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, I was just triggered, because some apps already show up in dark mode without my wanting it. When I looked at the story again, the forcing was applied to the apps, not to the user.
Re: (Score:2)
"The beta includes a new dark theme option that will "intelligently invert the UI of apps that appear light despite users having selected the dark theme" when enabled"
Which word in that was confusing to you?
Re: (Score:2)
> Damn. I don't want to buy an iPhone, but I may have to, because I cannot read dark mode text.
You need to buy an iPhone because Google is giving you the option and control over how your device looks? Is that what you just said? At that point isn't it simpler to get a parent to setup your device for you and then lock it down with parental controls?
Yes but can I set my own colors? (Score:3)
I'm really tired of the nasty pastel colors. Please just let me set my own colors. Not pastel colors, but real colors. If I want a bright color and better contrast, I should be able to do that. The old Material look and feel worked great with saturated colors. Currently I make do with an app that forces the UI to adopt greyscale for most UI elements. Contrast still sucks, but at least it's not those sickly pastel colors.
Re: (Score:2)
Material Design has always been absolute shit. It introduced several insanely stupid UI conventions such as covering the bottom of lists with enormous round buttons that obscure whatever list elements happen to lie below them.
Even Windows 3.1 had color configuration. (Score:2)
Wait. What century are we in? Oh right, you can choose any color you want so long as it is black or white. Well, sometimes black - but we are forcing it on apps that are not inclusive.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, we need to return to the days of [1]Hot Dog Stand! [media.mas.to]
[1] https://media.mas.to/media_attachments/files/111/852/580/865/510/682/original/e95560536cd18c52.png
Re: (Score:2)
Color configuration for whom? Windows 3.1 didn't offer any color configuration ... for developers. That said I don't miss the UI clusterfuck that was Windows 98 era. At least Winamp was acceptable but god most programs looked like trash.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes indeed, but most developers ignored the system-configurable colors.
For the color configuration to work, developers had to choose to use the configured colors using specific color codes. Even Microsoft's own software didn't do this, so it eventually went away.
Re: So what? (Score:2)
At least playing a MIDI file does something useful.
I could force the Hotdog Stand theme on Windows 3.1 applications.