The hidden dark mode discovered inside Apple’s first iOS 10 beta actually extends further than previously thought. Developer Andrew Wiik, who first stumbled across the new interface, has now been able to activate it within the Settings app.
It’s impossible to activate dark mode on an iOS device, but Wiik has been able to access it through the iOS Simulator on Mac. It was originally thought the interface was only available inside the Messages app, but it actually extends further than that.
As you can see in the screenshots above, Wiik has also been able to activate it for the Settings app. This all but confirms that when the dark mode is available for use, it will likely be available throughout iOS — not just inside certain apps.
Darker interfaces are not only more pleasant to look at for some people, but they also have some advantages. With OLED displays — which Apple is expected to bring to next year’s iPhones — they burn less power than lighter interfaces.
What’s unclear at this point is whether dark mode will actually make its way into future iOS 10 releases, or whether Apple is planning to hold onto it until those OLED iPhones are available next fall. We’ll have to wait and see what future betas bring.
