Differentiating single/multiple selection in polls in a mobile app

Question

as the title stated, I would like to seek some ideas on the need of actually differentiating the choices. see below:

• A: traditional checkboxes for multi-selects, radio button for single select
• B: uses only checkboxes, perhaps with visual cues to inform user (see select state below)

Answer 1

From your question, I cannot understand why your seek some ideas - do you have any indication that the established way of distinguishing single/multiple selection using checkbox/radiobutton does not work with your users, or for your use case?

In the absence of a (very) good reason to deviate from established practice, I'd always return to that established practice. A very good rationale is given in Jakob's Law in Internet Use.

Answer 2

Radio buttons are widely used and well understood, even on mobile design systems:

• https://m3.material.io/components/radio-button/overview
• https://developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/toggles#Radio-buttons

Using your alternative seems strictly worse: If I accidentally select option A and want to switch option B, I first have to understand I can't click B (it's greyed out), but have to uncheck A instead (which, given that everything else is greyed out, isn't entirely clear whether that's even possible), and only then can check B.

In stark contrast to this, with a radio button the user can just click option B and be done with it.