After a prolonged period of anticipation, the BBC Sport app has finally embraced a dedicated dark mode for Android users. This long-awaited feature marks a significant upgrade for an application that has, until now, resisted adapting to user preferences for a darker interface.
For years, sports enthusiasts relying on the BBC’s application faced a glaring white background, regardless of their device settings. Even with Android’s built-in dark mode, the app stubbornly maintained its bright appearance, leading to a less-than-ideal user experience. While some users attempted to force a dark theme through device-specific features, such as the “Expanded” dark theme on Pixel phones or similar options on Samsung Galaxy devices, these workarounds often resulted in text and visual inconsistencies, leaving much to be desired.
What’s new
Dark mode has arrived. By popular demand and after considerable effort from various teams, BBC Sport now supports dark mode. The app will automatically adjust to reflect your device’s system theme, seamlessly switching between light and dark modes based on your settings.
The rollout of this update began on January 29, with a more comprehensive version reaching users on February 2. This change signifies a notable shift for one of the last major holdouts in the Android ecosystem, now fully compliant with user theming preferences. While precise user statistics remain elusive, the BBC Sport app boasts over 5 million downloads on the Google Play Store, underscoring its popularity among sports fans.
Importantly, the implementation of dark mode is straightforward; there is no toggle within the app itself. Instead, the app relies entirely on the phone’s settings. Users who prefer a light theme during the day will see the app in its traditional format, while those who switch to dark mode—manually or via a scheduled setting—will enjoy a more visually comfortable experience.
The delay in introducing this essential feature by one of the world’s leading media organizations raises questions, yet the focus now shifts to the present. Users are encouraged to update their app via the Google Play Store to take advantage of this long-awaited enhancement.
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