Many Android custom skins have offered support for theme packs for years. This feature allows you to completely transform the look of your device’s UI in just a few taps. After several years of waiting, Google finally brought something similar to its Pixel phones . The company debuted the feature with a special theme inspired by the movie Wicked. Now, after the completion of the first phase of this experiment, Google is teasing more theme packs arriving “coming soon” to boost Pixel devices customization.
Initial tests of the “theme engine” for Pixel phones are less ambitious than those of other companies. This seems normal, since brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, Samsung, and others have been offering theme stores for years. In comparison, the Wicked theme for Pixel phones seems like a rather timid attempt. That said, it also means that the theme engine for Pixel devices is there, which could have major implications for customization in the near future.
New Theme Packs for Google Pixel phone customization are on the horizon
Last year, Google introduced its first high-profile theme packs through a partnership with the movie Wicked. These packs offered complete makeovers inspired by the film’s characters, integrating everything from lock screen clocks to specific icon treatments.
As of January 31, these limited-edition themes officially vanished from the customization menu. While those who already applied them can keep the assets, new users can no longer access them. This departure is common for licensed collaborations, which usually have strict expiration dates tied to promotional windows. However, their removal hasn’t left the menu empty. Instead, Google replaced them with a promising teaser: “New theme packs are coming soon.”
Via: 9to5Google
The Wicked packs’ disappearance suggests a change in strategy. Branded collaborations are great for getting people excited, but the next wave of theme packs will probably be more about classic styles that fit the Pixel’s clean “Material You” look better.
The way forward for Google
The goal of these packs is to make use of the adaptive color system that Google has been working on for years. Instead of having to change things by hand, future sets will probably come with curated looks that feel like part of the native OS. This will give users a more seamless experience if they want a new look without having to build it from scratch.
That said, the natural evolution of this feature should be to offer more customization options. In other implementations, brands allow you to choose the specific parts of the theme pack you want to implement. Hopefully, we’ll see something like this on Pixels sooner rather than later. Otherwise, the feature will remain a simple commercial tool for Google to please its partners with themes designed around their audiovisual products.
The missing piece: AI Icons
While theme packs handle wallpapers and colors beautifully, icons remain a bit of a challenge. Currently, “themed icons” only work if developers provide specific assets, which often leads to a messy home screen where some icons match the theme whereas others do not.
Google is reportedly working on a solution using on-device intelligence. References in recent code suggest an “AI icons” feature that could automatically generate themed versions of apps that lack them. However, there is a catch: evidence points to this being a feature for the future “Cinnamon Bun” release (likely Android 17). This means that while we might get new theme packs soon, the dream of a perfectly uniform, AI-generated home screen is likely still a year away.
For now, Pixel owners can expect a more stable rotation of themes.
