Google Wallpapers gets three new categories and Pixel 2 backdrop

Initially launched last year with the first Pixel, Google's Wallpapers app has quickly grown to be my favorite tool for customizing the look of my home and lock screen. Google recently added a few new selections to the app, and although many of them appear to be limited to the Pixel and Pixel XL, there's still a lot to like here.

The biggest additions are three new categories, including Keep Looking, Underwater, and Geometric Shapes. Underwater and Geometric Shapes are pretty self-explanatory, but the Keep Looking category is a bit odd. Each wallpaper has a description of "Keep looking, Love Pixel", and swiping through the wallpaper will show hidden elements that aren't readily apparent upon first viewing.

For example, the wallpaper "Boinggg" initially shows two Slinkys falling down a set of stairs, but swiping over to the left reveals a third one. The "Coffee overboard" wallpaper shows two coffee cups by default, but swiping shows another that's not visible at first. All of them feature very bright colors and nice textures, and although some are a bit busy for my taste, I dig the overall aesthetic.

Additionally, the Cityscapes category now has the iconic "Rainy Day" wallpaper that's seen on most press photos and renders for the Pixel 2.

Unfortunately, most of these new wallpapers are limited to Google's Pixel lineup. The Geometric Shapes category appears to be working on non-Pixel handsets, but the Underwater and Keep Looking category and "Rainy Day" wallpaper are only showing up on the Pixel.

Joe Maring

Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.