Every year when Apple premiers their new products, rumors swirl for months until they’re unveiled. This new the new operating system, the iOS 13, comes with lots of new advancements, improvements, and upgrades. Perhaps above all the new features of the operating system is Dark Mode. It is something Apple fans have been asking about for years, and now they will finally get the feature. While it is increasingly popular for its look, ease on the eyes, and more, it may not be the best for your vision. What is Dark Mode and why is it questionable?
What is Dark Mode?
Dark Mode is negative polarity, which means that the background is black and the text is white or another bright color. While the phone would typically use light to illuminate the background, there is no need to do so for a completely black one. It’s pretty simple, but people really like it. Not only do they prefer how it likes, they enjoy that it is easier on the eyes. But is this actually good for your vision?
How Does Dark Mode Effect your Vision?
New vision research has shown that dark-colored object on light backgrounds are the easiest to view, but that doesn’t mean that it is good for your eyes. It is actually worse for them. Light Mode, or a dark-on-light display provides better performance when you are focusing, identifying letters, transcribing, comprehending text, and both reading and proofreading.
Studies from the past suggest that using positive polarity results in less visual fatigue and, in the end, increased comfort. According to the site MoneyPug which is widely used in the UK to compare mobile phones, Dark Mode won’t reduce eyestrain, especially if you have spent all day using it. This isn’t an improvement to the operating system, but an option. And it isn’t for everyone. That’s why it’s not the default setting. It isn’t necessarily good for your eyes, but Dark Mode does have its advantages.
What are the Advantages of Dark Mode?
Dark Mode is very useful in a low-light environment. If you’re lying in bed reading, it’s much easier to read white text on a black background. You won’t have your face completely illuminated by light and it is less disturbing to anyone around trying to sleep. You could simply turn down the brightness, but a lot of people think it is more satisfying to read using Dark Mode.
The setting is also better for sleeping. It is not good for your eyes to take in such intense light fight before you go to bed. It will keep you up and decrease the quality of your sleep. This much is known. Dark Mode is certainly better to use before you go to sleep. Moderation is key.
It is generally accepted that Dark Mode isn’t good for your eyes, but this is not universal. According to Google, Dark Mode improves visibility for users with low vision as well as those who are sensitive to bright light. Others may have conditions that make it easier to read bright text. Inverting the polarity has been a part of operating systems before Dark Mode was desired for this reason.
The setting also saves battery, especially on OLED displays. Dark Mode saves a lot of battery simply because it uses less light. There is no pixel for black, it is simply not populated. The backlight is on the whole time with a traditional display, but Dark Mode could save between 15 and 60 percent of battery life depending on the screen’s brightness. Most devices don’t have OLED, however, so they will not save as much battery as the modes that do. For example, even the iPhone XR doesn’t have OLED.
How Should I Use Dark Mode?
Dark Mode should be used sparingly. If you use it sometimes rather than all the time, you will have a much better experience with it. It’s not great for your eyesight, but it is much more conducive to being used at night, when you want to avoid bright light that will obstruct your sleep. Generally, you shouldn’t use the setting all the time but there is no harm in taking advantage of its benefits.
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