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Pluvius themes system UI and accent color based on the wallpaper [Giveaway]
Pluvius is a new app that uses OMS on rooted Android devices to dynamically theme the System UI and accent color based on the current wallpaper.
With Android 8.0 Oreo, Google introduced Sony's native theme framework called the Overlay Manager Service (OMS.) Overlays can be built to target the resources of any application, including the SystemUI and Android framework, and override them with their own values. This allows us to theme almost any part of Android to our liking on Android 8.0 Oreo and Android 8.1 Oreo. Unfortunately, Google blocked access to the OMS APIs in Android P, stating that OMS is only intended to be used by OEMs. However, if you have root access such as through Magisk, you can still install custom themes on Android P. A new app called "Pluvius" has just been released, and it uses OMS in a really clever way: Dynamically theming system UI and accent colors based on the current wallpaper. It requires root access to work, but if you pass that basic requirement then you can enjoy personalized themes on any Android 8.0 Oreo, Android 8.1 Oreo, or Android P device like the Google Pixel 2 or Essential Phone.
Rootless custom themes on Android P are over as Google confirms restrictions are intended
Google confirmed that changes in Android P that block installation of custom overlays are intended, meaning rootless custom themes are no longer possible.
Android P (Android 9.0) is an exciting release for Android enthusiasts because of the many changes it's bringing to the user interface and user experience. Thanks to Google's work on Project Treble, the latest Android release is available in beta for not only the Google Pixel and Google Pixel 2 devices but also phones like the OnePlus 6, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, Sony Xperia XZ2, Essential Phone, and more. One not-so-exciting change in Android P, however, is the restriction the OS places on installing custom overlays. Overlays are used to modify the resources of an app and they're what the Substratum Theme Manager uses to make rootless custom themes possible on Android Oreo. Now, Google has confirmed that the restrictions are intended behavior, which means that rootless, system-wide custom themes will no longer be possible on Google smartphones and smartphones without existing theme engines moving forward.
How Substratum Brought Fluid & Simple Customization to a Complex TouchWiz
Sungstratum from team [projekt.] brings all the theme goodies of RRO-OMS to Samsung Nougat devices through Substratum! Read on to know more!
Android theming has come a long way, from hacky edits to Substratum and now, Sungstratum. Years back, the word "theme" in Android discussions was frequently superseded by the word "chooser', a nod to the T-Mobile Theme Chooser found in CyanogenMod that laid the foundations that made Android a themer's paradise. The ability to modify the appearance of the OS granted users another dimension of customization, allowing them to make changes that make their devices a lot more personalized.