In a blow to the custom themers out there, Google has responded to the cry for Substratum "support" to return to stock Android. The verdict is that the breakage first spotted in Android P Developer Preview 1 is intentional and that it won't be fixed for the final P release.
Read More33 temporarily free and 52 on-sale apps and games to start Memorial Day weekend
Happy Friday, everyone. The Memorial Day weekend is a few hours away, so before you head out to whatever you're doing, I thought I'd get in a quick app sales roundup! Today's list has some notable items in it, so be looking for those in bold below. Enjoy your weekend and I'll see you all on Monday.
Read More[Update: Petition, Issue tracker] Android P prevents Substratum themes from being used
Substratum is a rootless way to install custom themes on Android Oreo. When it burst onto the scene around September of last year, it instantly became a crowd favorite; people loved the ability to reduce the increasing amount of whiteness Google was shoving into Android. However, it seems like Google wasn't happy with this, as Substratum and custom overlays in general are no longer functional on Android P.
Read MoreCyanogenMod Theme Engine is gone for good, LineageOS removes supporting code
During CyanogenMod's heyday, one of the ROM's biggest features was the Theme Engine. You could download any number of themes from the Play Store to change up the entire system's look. However, the feature didn't make an appearance in CyanogenMod 14 (based on Android 7.0 Nougat), and there hasn't been much talk of working on it since the project reorganized into LineageOS.
Read More[Update: Winners] Giveaway: Win one of 100 codes for [projekt.] development team's Andromeda, the root-less Substratum add-on for Android 8.0 Oreo theming
Ever since the Android community learned that theming might be possible on Android 8.0 Oreo, we've been waiting with bated breath to try it out. Just last week the solution was finally released in the form of Andromeda, an add-on for Substratum that allows you to apply themes without root. And now we've teamed up with the guys at [projekt.] development team to give 100 lucky readers a free code for Andromeda.
Read MoreAndromeda brings Substratum theming to unrooted Android 8.0 Oreo devices
It took a bit over two weeks, as opposed to the promised one, but it's finally here. Substratum support for Android 8.0 Oreo, in the form of the newly released Andromeda app, has been released. It's not quite as straightforward or simple as Substratum is on a supported ROM, but it will give users on Oreo the ability to theme. And, best of all, you won't need root to use it.
Read MoreDeveloper discovers how to turn on Android 8.0's theme support without root, but it's a bit janky
Big news today over on XDA. It would appear that the OMS support added to AOSP made its way into Android 8.0 Oreo, and the enterprising developers at XDA have figured out how to leverage the nascent theming system. That is to say, support for Substratum themes now exists in stock Android as of Oreo, and the Substratum developers have just found a way to leverage that without relying on root, via a bit of privilege escalation and ADB, resulting in an incoming root-less theme management system for phones on stock Oreo, and it could be released within the next week.
Read More[Deal Alert] Customize your rooted phone with Awesome Navbars, free for a limited period
For those who like to tinker with their Android phones on a regular basis, the Substratum Theme Engine is a great way to style your rooted device with seemingly endless possibilities. It's based on code hidden within Android that's intended for use by OEMs to change themes in their skins, but this app now allows anyone to do this. Additional apps can be installed to work in conjunction with Substratum to change certain aspects of a device's theme, and that's exactly what Awesome Navbars does. It changes (you've guessed it) the Android navbar.
Read MoreThe Best Of AP
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