Android 12 won't make its final release until later this year, but that hasn't stopped leaks and speculation from flying: 9to5Google is reporting that the next version of Google's mobile operating system may feature a new theming system.

In theory, this would allow users to apply preset color palettes to Android, including theming specific apps. This would complement the existing dark mode as well as the accent colors available in Pixels.

9to5Google has created a rough mockup of what this theming system will look like in practice. While this is only a rough estimate of what we might see in the final product, it still has Android fans excited. People have been asking Google for this kind of functionality for years.

We could see this in one of the upcoming Android 12 Developer Previews as Google tests the waters. However, that does not mean it will be in the final release. At this time, it does not appear that end users will be able to create their own color palettes or install additional themes from the Play Store.

However, handset manufacturers may be free to create their own color schemes. And it would surprise no one if U.S. carriers got a say in the colors that might appear on a particular handset.

According to 9to5Google, Android 12's theming system will be accessible to app developers. That means app developers will be able to see the color palette you choose and theme their apps accordingly. Still, don't get too excited.

One of the things that has plagued Android since it gained popularity is how disparate app designs are. Even Material Design, Google's attempt to create a unified design language for apps, has left developers refusing to implement such an aesthetic philosophy for whatever reason. This new theme system will be no different.

In fact, all of this would not be so difficult if dark themes are enabled in the OS itself, since Android will talk to supported apps to automatically apply dark themes. Android has long had a custom theme for its UI and apps had workarounds to enforce them, but they required root access. So something official from Google would be great.

If Google follows the same development schedule as it did for Android 11, the first developer preview of Android 12 could appear next month. We can't wait to get our hands on the developer preview and see what Google is building.