The notion already existed and now Google confirms what we already knew a lot. If you want to save battery power on your Android smartphone then switch to dark mode “Dark Mode” on your smartphones and mobile devices.
First, the graphics recently released by Google show us the impact of this dark mode on battery life. Here it is important not to confuse autonomy with a useful life (load cycles) that a battery can withstand over the years.
Second, the comparative charts that Google now provides us allow us to bury any doubts. If you want to take more advantage of your smartphone and extend its autonomy you should use, whenever possible, the dark mode.
In that sense, the American technology shared its conclusions during the Android Dev Summit. In other words, during the Congress dedicated to the Android operating system, programmers as well as software developers.
The impact of dark mode on Android and an OLED screen
Thirdly and as the international press advances, more specifically SlashGear is not only the screen brightness that greatly influences the battery life. To this important factor, we have to add also the colors used, something that is especially true in OLED screens. However, on LCD screens the same principle no longer applies, at least with such intensity. Let’s see below all the conclusions presented by Google itself, always aware that “battery” is never too much.
Looking at the graph above, we can see here the amount of energy spent in each pixel on an OLED display when certain colors are presented. Moreover, it is important to note that maximum brightness is being used here. In short, it becomes clear that the white color is the one that consumes the most energy in an OLED screen.
White is the most energy consuming OLED screen
In summary, it is now confirmed that OLED screens can waste less energy if you choose, for example, a dark wallpaper. Therefore, you can improve the autonomy of your Android smartphone if you choose, whenever possible, by dark mode in the applications that support it.
Secondly, Google experts shared their findings about the impact of “Night Mode” or night mode on energy consumption. For such help from your Android smartphone, Google Pixel facing the competition, in this case, the iPhone 7.
The importance of color in the autonomy of your Android smartphone
However, it should be noted that not all Android smartphones will enjoy the same “Night Mode”. Therefore, while proving that it is possible to use software to optimize energy consumption, not all equipment behaves in the same way.
Google also shared its findings regarding the impact of color on various applications. How does a given color palette of an application spend more or less energy? That is, cause an increase or decrease in energy consumption.
Google recognizes the impact of “dark mode” on its Android apps
Again, the clearer the color scheme of an app, the greater the energy consumption. There is an easy-to-interpret pattern here that brings us back to the importance of dark mode.
In short, if you have an Android smartphone with an OLED screen then you can easily “squeeze” a little more autonomy. This will only reduce the brightness, use wallpapers / dark themes as well as dark mode whenever possible.
The impact of maximum brightness on OLED screen smartphones
Google also studied the different behavior in situations of maximum brightness on an OLED screen. In short, he concluded that black, even at maximum brightness, practically does not consume energy. White is the color that uses the most energy, especially with the maximum brightness.
Google even came to mea culpa, acknowledging that so far has stimulated the opposite behavior. Especially with its Material Design that brought us several Android apps with very light colors.
In fact, the vast majority of Google applications for Android smartphones turns out to have a very clear complexion. However, the American technology will now make dark mode available for most of its smartphone apps.
In short, realizing that so far it has stimulated the development of apps whose interface is predominantly white. Something that ends up spending more energy, the company wants to reverse the behavior.
