Alll the photo processors i’ve worked with recently default to what we now call dark mode. And that was before dark or light mode was a thing on Macs.
The Mac version of Affinity Photo 2 under Preferences and UI Interface has a full set of light and dark adjustments, many more settings than the typical app has. I would be very surprised if there weren’t similar settings for the iPad. I have every confidence in the developers at Serif. However the iPads I have are too old for me to be able to check. (I lent my newest iPad to my Dad.) Also Apple’s Accessibility settings may be of help to you.
Well the Mac certainly does. I thought perhaps a screenshot of the Affinity Photo 2 User Interface preferences on the Mac might help. Perhaps an experienced Affinity iPad user could chime in here also?
I don’t do much photo editing and The Gimp surfices when I do. That does not start in dark mode.
There are other programs that also presume dark mode ignoring what the user has decided they want via Preferences/Settings. Ignoring what the user sets is an absolute no-no! As I chose Light mode to alleviate my dyslexia I consideer such practice as disability discrimination.
Which will be too late for me to change my mind about the app or put trust in the company’s products. (Back when I was uneducated and used Windows their old Page Plus was something I used regularly as I had a need for a DTP at the time. But that good will was destroyed the moment I could not find a light mode.)
It might be but I am specifically talking about Publisher 2. And even if it were the convention I would still expect for there to be a way to switch to something else or better yet for the program/app to honour what the user has selected as default on their system. As I said previously The Gimp does not obliterate the user’s choice.
Interesting. I did a little reading. It sounds like high contrast dark modes (like the bad ones Microsoft did early on, not Serif’s) can be hard for dyslexic users. More common is for astigmatism to struggle with dark mode due to halation (blurred text due to the eye widening to take in more light in dark mode.)
This article is a good summary.
I don’t know about swearing off Affinity apps forever, but letting them know they should prioritize both UI modes on both platforms for a11y reasons seems helpful.
I contacted them last night and got a form response saying they’re overwhelmed by the high volume right now. I can’t imagine them responding rudely (or with anything besides a boilerplate thanks for the suggestion, really.)
My request:
Hi, I’m wondering if you will be able to offer a light mode option for the 2.0 iPad apps’ UIs, as you are the on desktop version.
It’s an accessibility request. The use case is those who experience halation (blurry text on darker interface fields) due to astigmatism. For those who are also dyslexic, the blurriness can compound their issues reading and understanding the UI.
Congratulations on shipping version 2 of the suite! The updates seem fantastic so far.
Their response:
Thank you for contacting us.
As a result of the V2 Launch, we are receiving an exceptional amount of emails and tickets. There will be an extended delay in responding to you. Please see the following link for an FAQ specific to Affinity 2.0; these questions should hopefully answer your questions. Affinity 2: Frequently Asked Questions
We do appreciate your patience during this busy time.
Yes because they care more about making money than providing a product that anyone could use. It was the admission that they rushed the release of the iPad version to match the release of the Windows and MacOS versions. There was no consideration of the needs of potential users.
You seem to be very sure of the Affinity developers’ motives, what they care about, and what they take into consideration. I don’t know how you can be so certain.
If you don’t like what a product offers you, please, by all means, walk away from it. Tell us why but leave their motives out if it.
As someone who always request app developers to have a left-handed mode on their apps, I feel your pain.
I was dismissed by a photo developer app on the iPad for requesting a left-handed mode on the interface. I can’t edit on the Pencil if the editing panels and slider are on the right when using the Pencil. I was told that I can just change the language settings to a language written from right to left so that the interface will flip. He expects that I know how to read from right to left. Up to now, they still dont have a left-handed mode.
So far from knowing Serif, they have built light mode on MacOS because of a user request. Try sending them an email.
PS. I missed the part when you said that they didn’t like that you emailed them about light mode.
I have a fair amount of correspondence with Serif in the past; thru email and their forum. They were helpful and respectful of issues and feedback that I gave them. I don’t know what to make of your statement. We are here to help out with your issue or grievances.
Ah, the forum. I won’t link it but Serif’s response to this request was polite. A couple community members responded rudely and Serif deleted those comments. Light mode on iPad is coming, and they apologized to Glimfeather for not having it ready at launch.
Yes! I wish there was better understanding here. The HIG barely (never?) mentions accommodating dominant hand with a user preference, and you have to go to unproven third party libraries to detect which hand is being used, and they can’t pull in evidence from usage outside the app as it loads. Floating toolbars (like Muse’s) aren’t in many apps, and the wide ones aren’t rearrangeable. The new customizable toolbar framework for iPad apps might help as third party support expands, but its recommended use is seemingly limited to top-and-center icons that the developer seems non-essential to core use (share button, zoom, etc.)