Google is teasing new ways for Pixel users to refresh their phones, just as its first-ever theme packs quietly disappear. The message is short, but it’s enough to signal what’s coming next.
Google’s Pixel theme packs made their debut late last year with a high-profile movie tie-in. The launch featured a “Wicked: For Good” collaboration, offering three themed presets inspired by the film’s main characters.
Those packs are now gone.
The Wicked theme packs were removed from Pixel devices on Jan. 31 and no longer appear in the theme pack selection menu. Google has also stopped promoting the collaboration inside the Pixel wallpaper and customization settings.
Users who previously downloaded the Wicked items can still use them, but anyone who missed the window no longer has access.
Google teases what’s next
In place of the retired themes, Pixel users now see a short teaser inside the Wallpaper & style menu. As spotted by 9to5Google, the message reads: “new theme packs are coming soon.”
For now, that’s all Google is saying. A “More” button appears on the screen, but it currently leads nowhere, leaving the details, including timing and design, unclear. Still, the teaser confirms that the Wicked partnership was not a one-off experiment.
Pixel theme packs are designed to make phone customization easier. With a single tap, users can apply a bundled look that includes wallpapers, system colors, lock screen styles, clocks, sounds, and icon treatments.
The feature builds on Google’s Material You design system, which adapts system colors based on a user’s wallpaper. Instead of tweaking settings one by one, theme packs offer a complete preset in just a few seconds.
The Wicked release showed how Google could use the system for branded promotions. Its removal suggests future packs may focus more on long-term, built-in Pixel styles rather than limited movie tie-ins.
Why the Wicked pack likely ended
Licensed collaborations often come with expiration dates, especially when tied to film releases. Once those agreements end, the content is typically pulled.
Google has not said why the Wicked pack was removed, but its disappearance lines up with how other Pixel features and promotions rotate in and out over time. The company regularly introduces short-lived additions alongside longer-lasting platform features through Pixel Feature Drops.
AI-themed icons not ready yet
While theme packs are expanding, another long-rumored customization feature remains out of reach: AI-generated icons.
Android’s themed icons rely on developers providing special monochrome versions of their app icons. Many popular apps still don’t support this, leaving home screens looking uneven when themed icons are enabled.
Recent Android code suggests Google is exploring AI-generated icons to solve that problem, but those references also indicate the feature may require a newer Android version. According to reports, the system strings suggest AI icons are not supported on older builds and may be tied to a future Android release, widely believed to be Android 17.
That means even if the feature is coming, it likely won’t arrive through a simple app update.
Easy looks now, smarter icons later
For now, Pixel users can expect a fresh batch of one-tap theme packs to arrive in the Settings > Wallpaper & style menu soon. They’ll offer easy, cohesive personalization without an expiration date.
The dream of a perfectly uniform home screen, courtesy of AI, is still on the horizon and appears tied to a future Android update. In the meantime, the new theme packs promise to keep your Pixel looking fresh with minimal effort.
Also read: A new leak suggests the Pixel 10a could arrive in February with a new “Berry” color and familiar design cues.
