#StayHome: Devices’ ‘dark mode’ in spotlight
dubai — Getting glued to devices — mobiles, computers, TV — is one of the many tactics being used by residents to fight the boredom of not stepping out.
And as usage increases, a relatively new feature — dark mode — is taking the spotlight, thanks to its benefits. The UAE’s interest in dark mode hit its zenith between March 1 and 7 period with a score of 100 on Google Trends.
“The dark mode available on phones protects the eyes from traditional blinding from whiteness of computers and phone screens,” Dr Arif A. Adenwala, ophthalmologist at Zulekha Hospital, told Khaleej
Times. “Dark mode does not activate individual light pixels and thus saves battery life. It is also useful for people who are sensitive to light.”
Inverted colour palettes — the technique used by dark mode — has been a critical component in the development of devices, according to the Institute for Control of Eye Myopia in Children. “Over the years, the dark mode has been an important aspect of user interface design, where the people behind this concept took into account people with light sensitivity or visual impairments diagnosed by an optometrist,” the institute wrote.
Dark mode does not activate individual light pixels and thus saves battery life. It is also useful for people who are sensitive to light.”
How it evolved
It was in 2019 that the dark mode took the digital world by storm, first on mobile devices via their operating systems then subsequently offered by apps, including heavyweights Facebook and WhatsApp.
Initially thought of as a novelty, dark mode soon gained popularity. Google Trends revealed that globally, interest in ‘dark mode’ hit two highs in 2019, reaching a score of 41 in the March 3 to 9 period, then further spiking to the maximum
Dr Arif A. Adenwala
ophthalmologist, Zulekha Hospital
100 during October 6 to 12. That trend in the UAE during the time was 44 and 94 respectively.
A Harvard study showed that exposure to light also helps subdue the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate one’s sleep-wake cycle. The same study says that increased levels of melatonin are linked to an increased risk in certain cancers and obesity.