If there’s one large criticism about Google’s Pixel UI expertise, it’s the dearth of customization. Rivals like Samsung and OnePlus provide straightforward theming instruments with deep personalization choices, however on Pixel, your icon choices are primarily restricted to Materials You’s dynamic colours. That’s lastly altering with right this moment’s Pixel Drop, although it won’t be precisely what you’ve been wanting from Google.
Most Tensor-powered Pixels — that’s Pixel 6 and later — are getting new customized icon assist beginning with right this moment’s Pixel Drop, however quite than permitting for third-party icon packs, Google’s chosen to move down the genAI route as an alternative. These kinds embody the 2 you’ll be able to see above, together with a rainbow-themed playful 3D look named Cookies full with wallpaper-matching backdrops and all-gold icons fittingly referred to as Treasure centered on white circles. Different choices embody Scribbles, Easel, and Stardust.
We’ve identified these AI-generated icon packs have been coming for some time, due to early indicators in Android Canary final summer time and a few modifications to the language surrounding app icons in Google’s Developer Distribution Settlement. Nevertheless, should you had any hope that the Pixel launcher may also add assist for the hundreds of third-party icon packs lining the Play Retailer, sadly, that possibility doesn’t seem like obtainable judging by right this moment’s announcement. Whereas it’s apparent Google is rather more keen to embrace personalization on Pixel, it seems that the corporate nonetheless desires its customers to customise by itself phrases — and proper now, these phrases are just about completely centered round AI.
With right this moment’s Pixel Drop, the corporate can also be introducing its second theme pack. Following final 12 months’s Depraved: For Good launch, Google’s turning to SpongeBob with a set of wallpapers, ringtones, icons, saved GIFs, and extra. It contains three distinctive themes that will probably be obtainable via the start of Might.
These customized AI-generated icons are coming to all gadgets from the Pixel 6 on, except for the Pixel Pill. Google says these SpongeBob icon packs are additionally coming to “telephones” from the Pixel 6 onwards, although it’s unclear if the Pixel Pill can also be excluded from this replace.
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