Lastly: Google is making theme packs that will help you customise your Pixel cellphone

Many Android units allow you to apply customized themes, typically out there by way of OEM theme shops, to vary the appear and feel of the UI. These theme packs usually modify issues just like the wallpaper, the lock display, house display icons, system sounds, and generally even the general visible design of apps. Whereas Pixel units enable for a few of these customizations, they have to be accomplished individually, as Google doesn’t at the moment provide complete theme packs. That would change quickly, although, as we’ve noticed proof within the newest Android 16 beta suggesting Google is engaged on a devoted Pixel themes function.

Below the hood, we discovered new strings within the up to date ‘Wallpaper & Type’ app that recommend it’s going to acquire a brand new “Themes” entry in a future launch. This “Themes” entry is ready to seem on the prime of the checklist in each the Lock Display and Residence Display tabs, with an outline studying, “Uncover Pixel themes.” The string containing this description is called “theme_packs_description,” which suggests these themes will bundle a number of customization choices.

With some tinkering, I managed to floor the “Themes” button within the ‘Wallpaper & Type’ app on a Pixel cellphone working Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1. I additionally managed to make a brand new themes-related chip seem beneath the wallpaper preview.

Nevertheless, neither the button nor the chip at the moment work. In response to system logs, the button makes an attempt to launch an app known as “Pixel Customization Packs” (with the bundle title ‘com.google.android.apps.pixel.customizationbundle’), which isn’t out there in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1. The chip, in the meantime, is meant to floor theme suggestions from the aforementioned app. Because the app in query is lacking, we don’t but know what or what number of themes it’s going to embrace. Moreover, it’s unclear what elements these themes will customise or whether or not customers will be capable to create and share their very own.

Google’s strategy to customization to date has centered on making issues easy for the consumer. This typically means offering preset choices or tweaking the UI on their behalf. Whereas we might be pleasantly shocked if Google had been to observe OEMs like OPPO and Xiaomi in opening up a customized theme retailer, we’re not holding our breaths. Nonetheless, it’s thrilling to see Google lastly embrace theme help for its Pixel telephones, and we’re wanting ahead to seeing what these Pixel themes seem like.