You've been asking for it, and asking for it, and asking for it, and... well, you get the point. Just after the Google Contacts app brought in the long-awaited, long-demanded dark theme, the Phone app is now following closely behind with the dark theme we've seen for the last couple versions. It's finally out of testing and available for the rest of the world to enjoy.
Google Phone v26 dark theme is here [APK Download]
Google Contacts v3.2 brings the long-awaited dark mode [APK Download]
A ton of Google apps have gotten reskinned with the company's updated Material look, and Contacts was among the first to receive the redesign. Given the apps' very generous use of the color white, many have been begging for a dark theme. Android Messages (or, rather, simply 'Messages' now) and Google News have already gotten dark modes, and Contacts is the latest Google app to be updated with one.
Read MoreGoogle admits too much white in apps is bad for battery life
During the Android Dev Summit 2018 that was just held in Mountain View, Google admitted something we all basically knew anyway: it may have been wrong to use so much much white in its apps as it drains smartphone batteries faster than duller, darker colors. Thankfully, dark modes can alleviate the problem and lead to better battery life, and Google wants more devs to add one to their apps.
Read MoreGallery: Take a look at Samsung's new "Night theme" dark mode for Galaxy phones
We had a chance to go hands-on with some Samsung test devices running the company's new One UI - the latest in a long line of TouchWiz rebrands - and the feature likely to generate the most attention is almost certainly the new "Night theme" option. Basically, night theme sets nearly every stock app, along with the launcher and lockscreen, to an all-blacked-out look - something Android enthusiasts have been asking of device makers for years. My initial take is that Samsung's done this pretty well, and essentially every stock app on the test device had a dark theme. Here's a quick look at some of those apps in a gallery.
Read MoreGoogle Phone v25 may be ready to roll out Dark Theme, prepares to share blocked numbers with other apps [APK Teardown]
The latest Google Phone update is out, but you're probably not going to spot anything too special right out of the gate. The changes worth noting are to the upcoming dark mode, which appears to be complete as of this version. It still hasn't gone live, but it probably could at any time. There's also text describing a tweak that would allow blocked phone numbers to be shared between apps.
Read MoreFacebook Messenger 4's simplified user experience is rolling out worldwide starting today
A common complaint about Facebook's apps (and, really, apps in general) is that they suffer from feature creep: the tendency for products to add more and more often unwanted features on top of the core functionality they originally became popular for. Messenger is a prime example of this trend, having gone from a simple instant messaging app to sort of a bloated mess. Facebook wants to make that right with the simplified Messenger 4, which is rolling out to everyone starting today.
Read MoreGoogle News 5.5 brings a dark theme to the entire app [APK Download]
The march of the dark themed apps continues. After YouTube, Android Messages, the new Google Discover feed, Gboard, and teasers for several other apps, Google News is the lucky recipient of a dark theme update in version 5.5.
Read MoreGoogle Phone v24 beta includes first pieces of Dark Mode [APK Teardown]
As many people had hoped, Google has been progressively adding dark modes to some of its core apps. Last month, there was even a teaser added to the Play Store changelog for the Google Phone app that promised to give users a choice between the all white look that has become so common, or a dark look that promises to be easier to the eyes, especially at night. The latest version is out, but unfortunately, this update won't be the one to enable dark mode. However, with a bit of tinkering, it's possible to see what the new theme looks like in its current state.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
The YouTube TV web app now has a dark mode
At long last, the mobile YouTube apps added a dark mode back in July. The YouTube TV mobile app is still as bright as ever, but if you use the web app version at all, you're in luck. Late last month, a YouTube TV support article was updated that points out the new dark mode feature.
Read MoreUpdate Notes for YouTube, Duo, Drive, the Google app, and more (September 16, 2018)
Every week, I examine somewhere in the neighborhood of a hundred app updates while looking for changes. The most interesting things turn into APK Teardowns or Download posts. Many of the remaining updates are unremarkable, amounting to a few bug fixes, routine updates to libraries, or even just pixel-level adjustments to layouts and images. However, there are usually a few updates that land somewhere in between. I don't want to spam readers with dozens of short posts, but I hate to ignore things that people might want to know about, so I'm going to wrap up the leftovers for a little weekend reading and call it Update Notes.
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