【AI前沿】Google goes for the glitter with disco-ball icons: ‘Are y’all sure you still want this?’

So bad, it’s good? Google on Friday joined in the disco ball icon fun taking place on home screens everywhere. After Spotify’stemporarynew disco ball app icon, released to celebrate the company’s 20th anniversary, drewextensive online backlash(and a bit of praise for those who like a little kitsch!), Google decided to get in on the joke and rolled out a custom set of Android app icons sporting a similar disco ball theme.On X, Android ecosystem head Sameer Samat posted, “Your wish is our command. Disco icons available on Pixel as of today … Are y’all sure you still want this?”Your wish is our command. Disco icons available on Pixel as of today.… Are y’all sure you still want this ?? 😅@DurvidImel@RaceJohnsonhttps://t.co/S9dwLZRtHlpic.twitter.com/nvevL7fTSb— Sameer Samat (@ssamat)May 22, 2026His post included a screenshot of a Pixel phone fully decked out with sparkly, disco-ball-inspired icons, which looks just as terrible (incredible??) as it sounds.The new icons are available through Pixel’s relatively new custom icons feature, which allows users to choose from different AI-generated styles for their app icons. Before this, users could only customize their icons by changing their colors to match the phone’s wallpaper and theme.Image Credits:screenshot of Pixel icons by TechCrunchThe custom icons feature rolled out inMarch’s Pixel Drop— Google’s term for its periodic feature updates to Pixel phones — introducing app icon templates like a hand-drawn “Scribbles” aesthetic; a gold look called “Treasure”; a colorful, painted style dubbed “Easel”; and others.Earlier this week, Samat had jokinglytweeted, “Should we make this icon pack happen on Android?” alongside a Chrome icon turned into a disco ball.Should we make this icon pack happen on Android??@RaceJohnson😅https://t.co/Xbd5xlIVzhpic.twitter.com/nZDhAlGHfL— Sameer Samat (@ssamat)May 19, 2026Silly as it may be, Google actually made it happen.Many people had complained about the Spotify icon, calling it ugly, prompting the company toremindthem it was just a temporary sitch. “Alright, we know glitter is not for everyone,” the streamer wrote.Google, seemingly, disagrees. As off-brand as its disco-themed icons are, there’s also something whimsical about turning your whole home screen into a sparkly landscape of little apps. (And, in case you missed it,the Zillennials are really into whimsyright now, The New York Times reports, describing their “playful response to a difficult world.”)Upon seeing Google’s release, X user and former Pixly co-founder Race Johnsonquipped, “When your home screen gets bottle service.”Said another, “Omg it’s awful. I’ll take it!”TopicsAI,ai icons,Android,Apps,disco ball,Google,icons,PIXEL,SpotifyWhen you purchase through links in our articles,we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.Sarah PerezConsumer News EditorSarah has worked as a reporter for TechCrunch since August 2011. She joined the company after having previously spent over three years at ReadWriteWeb. Prior to her work as a reporter, Sarah worked in I.T. across a number of industries, including banking, retail and software.You can contact or verify outreach from Sarah by [email protected] via encrypted message at sarahperez.01 on Signal.View BioMay 27Athens, GreeceStrictlyVC Athens is up next. Hear unfiltered insights straight from Europe’s tech leaders and connect with the people shaping what’s ahead. Lock in your spot before it’s gone.REGISTER NOWMost PopularYou can no longer Google the word ‘disregard’Russell BrandomSix search engines worth trying now that Google isn’t really Google anymoreAmanda SilberlingJensen Huang says he’s found a ‘brand new’ $200B market for NvidiaJulie BortSam Altman makes ‘mic drop’ offer to every Y Combinator startupJulie BortGoogle Search as you know it is overSarah PerezElon Musk has lost his lawsuit against Sam Altman and OpenAITim FernholzUsers turn to jailbreaking their older Kindles as Amazon ends supportLauren Forristal