Google’s upcoming Feature Drop leaks, giving an early look at big changes coming to Pixel phones

Android’s been in a pretty good place over the past few years, with Google delivering an experience that felt really refined and polished with Android 15, and making small changes and adjustments here and there with Android 16.

Naturally, the brand has plenty of opportunities to improve things with regular updates, and can even introduce more ambitious changes with Pixel Feature Drops. If what’s being reported is true, we won’t have to wait too long for Google’s next Feature Drop.

Fun changes ahead

In leaks shared by Mystic Leaks on Telegram, the next major Pixel update is set to arrive on November 4 (via 9to5Google). Naturally, this is just what the leaked screenshots show, and it could arrive at a different time. But for now, we have to assume that the update is just around the corner.

One the biggest parts of the update is going to be new theme packs that will allow you to change the entire look and feel of the phone with just the tap of a button. Although wallpaper and icon changes are an obvious part of this feature, you’re also going to get custom sounds and GIFs as part of this feature as well.

Judging from the screenshots, it also looks like there might be promotional tie-ins with movies and other events as well, which could make theming a bit more fun if you’re someone that likes an entirely new look based on current trends. In addition to the above, it looks like the Pixel Studio app is getting the ability to make GIFs.

Previously, you could use AI in order to create still images. Now, with the Feature Drop, you will be able to take these images even further. Pixel VIP is also getting a small update, highlighting incoming messages from those that are most important to you.

No major changes here, but it will provide a more eye-catching marker by highlighting your VIPs in yellow, while also showing a contact image, in order to keep you better informed. For the most part, not a bad batch of updates to look forward to.

While this does sound exciting, 9to5Google does remain skeptical about this update, sharing that there are typos in the screenshots, along with the timing that just doesn’t feel right, considering that Android 16 QPR2 is just around the corner. Luckily, we won’t have to wait too long to find out what’s real.