Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google is making ready to launch a “Pixel themes” function, as evidenced by new strings and a button we managed to floor in Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1.
- This button is a part of the Pixel wallpaper app, and it goals to launch a “Pixel Customization Packs” app, which isn’t at the moment out there.
- It’s unclear whether or not Google will provide solely preset customization choices or a full theme retailer.
Many Android units allow you to apply customized themes, usually out there via OEM theme shops, to alter the appear and feel of the UI. These theme packs usually modify issues just like the wallpaper, the lock display screen, residence display screen icons, system sounds, and typically even the general visible design of apps. Whereas Pixel units permit for a few of these customizations, they should be achieved 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.
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Beneath the hood, we discovered new strings within the up to date ‘Wallpaper & Model’ app that recommend it should acquire a brand new “Themes” entry in a future launch. This “Themes” entry is ready to seem on the high of the checklist in each the Lock Display and House Display tabs, with an outline studying, “Uncover Pixel themes.” The string containing this description is known as “theme_packs_description,” which suggests these themes will bundle a number of customization choices.
Code
<string title="pack_theme_title">Themes</string>
<string title="theme_packs_description">Uncover Pixel themes</string>
<string title="pack_theme_preview_card_content_description">Themes preview</string>With some tinkering, I managed to floor the “Themes” button within the ‘Wallpaper & Model’ app on a Pixel telephone operating Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1. I additionally managed to make a brand new themes-related chip seem beneath the wallpaper preview.
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority
Nonetheless, neither the button nor the chip at the moment work. Based on system logs, the button makes an attempt to launch an app known as “Pixel Customization Packs” (with the package deal 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. For the reason that app in query is lacking, we don’t but know what or what number of themes it should embody. Moreover, it’s unclear what elements these themes will customise or whether or not customers will have the ability to create and share their very own.
Google’s strategy to customization up to now has targeted on making issues easy for the person. This usually means offering preset choices or tweaking the UI on their behalf. Whereas we might be pleasantly shocked if Google have been to comply with 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 trying ahead to seeing what these Pixel themes appear to be.
