Google’s always-on wallpapers may do something Apple and Samsung can’t

A couple weeks back, Android Authority clocked that a GIF of Android 16’s upcoming Live Updates feature seemed to show something else: evidence of always-on display (AOD) wallpapers coming to Pixel phones. Now, writing for Android Authority, Mishaal Rahman has shared even more concrete proof that Google’s version of Android will support the feature — with a twist we haven’t seen on other phones.

Poking around in the latest Android 16 QPR1 beta, Rahman was able to enable an AOD wallpaper feature that isn’t available in the standard beta. When enabled, it adds a toggle under Always-on display settings labeled Show lock screen wallpaper. The feature seems to be functional already: in the video below, you can see Rahman show it off on a Pixel 8 Pro.

While devices with LTPO displays from competitors Apple and Samsung have offered AOD wallpaper functionality for some time, no Pixel phones currently do. The Pixel 9 Pro’s Super Actua Display uses an LTPO panel, so it could theoretically display wallpapers on the AOD without a major hit to battery life. As Rahman notes, though, it’s not clear when this feature will be released publicly or on which devices. It may debut on the Pixel 10 series first.

Google’s implementation looks a little different

While Samsung and Apple’s AOD wallpapers more or less look like darkened versions of what you see on your lockscreen, Google’s implementation is different. In Android Authority’s video, the AOD wallpaper displayed on a Pixel 8 Pro has a blur effect applied that makes it look like we’re seeing the lockscreen wallpaper through frosted glass. It’s a nice touch that distinguishes Google’s version from other OEMs’.

Again, while Rahman was able to enable lockscreen wallpapers on a Pixel 8 Pro running Android 16 QPR1 Beta 1, the feature isn’t meant to be public-facing yet. Here’s hoping it rolls out with the stable Android 16 QPR1 release later this year.