Skip to main content

Google Pay is the latest of the company’s apps to get dark mode

Google has slowly but surely been bringing a dark mode to all of its apps ahead of a system-wide dark mode for Android 10 — and the next app to get the feature is Google Pay.

Previously, Google rolled out dark mode to a number of apps — including Android Messages, Google News, Google Photos, and the Google Files app. Even smaller, lesser-used apps like Gallery Go have been getting the treatment.

Recommended Videos

Dark mode for Google Pay is rolling out as part of the latest update to the app, and was first spotted by Android Police. Unlike some of the other apps that have gotten the feature, Google Pay’s dark mode is switched on based on the system theme — so when you have dark mode enabled system-wide in Android 10, dark mode will be enabled in Google Pay. We wouldn’t be surprised to see all of Google’s apps follow the system theme, or at least have an option to.

Dark modes have become a whole lot more popular over the past year or so — and not just on Android. Apple has pushed out a dark mode for the Mac, and is now beta testing a new dark mode for the iPhone. As mentioned, Google has been pushing dark modes for individual apps, but will roll out a system-wide dark mode as part of Android 10.

There are a few good reasons why you might want a dark mode on your device. Beyond the fact that some apps just look better in a dark mode, it’s also better for your eyes. There’s also the fact that dark modes can help save battery life. OLED displays work a little differently than LED displays in that they light up individual pixels instead of the display all at once — so when something on the display is black, the display simply doesn’t light up those pixels. This means battery life can be saved — and that blacks are deeper, making for more contrast on the display.

There are a few apps that don’t yet have dark mode in Android. Notably, Gmail and the Google Play Store have yet to get an update with dark mode — though they might get the update in the near future considering the fact that we expect to see Android 10 released to the public on September 3.

If you’d like to learn more about Google Pay, or need a guide on how to use Google Pay, we’ve got you covered.

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
The Google Home app is getting a major overhaul. Here’s what it looks like
The Google Home logo on a Pixel phone.

Just days after announcing its fourth-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, Google is set to change the Google Home app. As first noted by Android Police, this will revamp how users interact with their compatible devices.

The updated app, part of the Google Home Public Preview version 3.20.1.8, has been revised, including the thermostat controls and the general UI. The refresh also relocates the Nest app and Energy Dashboard icons underneath the main thermostat controls; they now look like pills. Meanwhile, the settings cog and overflow menu remain at the app’s top.

Read more
Sideloading Android apps is about to get a little more tedious
How to sideload an APK

Sideloading Android apps is about to get quite a bit more annoying if Google has its way. The changes come from new policies implemented by Google, which will add an extra step when downloading apps from third-party sites like APKMirror.

For those who aren’t familiar with the concept, sideloading an Android app allows you to download and install an app that may not be in the Google Play Store for various reasons, such as regional restrictions, censorship, or policy reasons. Sideloading an app does require enabling developer settings to allow for third-party apps, and you do take a certain degree of your own device safety into your hands, which is why it’s disabled by default.

Read more
Google Gemini is about to get a lot more useful on your Android phone
Google Gemini app on the Motorola Razr Plus 2024.

Google isn’t planning on hitting the breaks on Gemini anytime soon. After first teasing a number of new extensions during Google I/O 2024, a recent APK teardown from Android Authority has revealed a ton of unannounced, useful new features from Gemini that are soon coming to your Android phone. Gemini is expected to get a variety of new extensions that will allow integration into Google services like Keep, Tasks, and Calendar.

Each of the extensions seems to provide useful features, and Android Authority has demo videos showcasing each. With Google Keep, you can now ask Gemini to create new notes and lists, add information to notes, and add or remove items from lists. Google Tasks now lets you use Gemini to create new tasks, including reminders. It’ll also allow you to view existing tasks and show their due dates.

Read more