One of the main reasons people like Android so much is that you can customize it any way you want. And if you’re not happy with stock Android or the many different skins and theme shops Android OEMs have to offer, you can always root your device and install custom ROMs.
But while not users want to submit their device to the rooting process, the good news is that soon you’ll be able to theme Android 8.0 Oreo anyway you want without rooting.
Evidence for this has been uncovered by the xda-developers who found a way to take advantage of the built-in OMS (Overlay Manager Service) in Android 8.0 Oreo and get Substratum themes to work without much tinkering. Substratum is a popular theme engine for third-party custom ROMs that requires root access to work on select devices.
The method requires users to connect their device to their computer and run a desktop application. From there, they can navigate to the Play Store and download the Substratum app and start installing themes. There are a few minor hindrances to consider: you’ll have to run the desktop app every time you shut your phone off and turn it back on. On top of that, you’ll need to access the Substratum app to manually uninstall any theme you no longer want to use.
Xda-developers notes they expect that a Substratum app that will allow users to download and install Substratum themes will soon be made available for owners of the Pixel, Pixel XL, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.
