The next version of the Android operating system is on the horizon and will soon be downloaded to millions of smartphones around the world.
But for the first time in a decade, Google isn’t naming its new software after a pudding. Or ‘dessert’ if you live in the US.
We’ve had Ice Cream Sandwiches, KitKats, Jelly Beans, Nougats, Oreos and Pies.
Now it’s just going to be plain old ‘Android 10’.
‘Our engineering team has always used internal code names for each version, based off of tasty treats, or desserts, in alphabetical order,’ explained Sameer Samat, the VP of product management for Android.
‘This naming tradition has become a fun part of the release each year externally, too. But we’ve heard feedback over the years that the names weren’t always understood by everyone in the global community.
‘For example, L and R are not distinguishable when spoken in some languages. So when some people heard us say Android Lollipop out loud, it wasn’t intuitively clear that it referred to the version after KitKat. It’s even harder for new Android users, who are unfamiliar with the naming convention, to understand if their phone is running the latest version.’
Samat continued: ‘We also know that pies are not a dessert in some places, and that marshmallows, while delicious, are not a popular treat in many parts of the world.’ ‘We also know that pies are not a dessert in some places, and that marshmallows, while delicious, are not a popular treat in many parts of the world.’
The swap to numerical is set to be permanent. Next year’s release will be Android 12, and so on and so forth.
Part of the reason is that Android’s growth is massive. It doesn’t just cover phones but also TVs, cars and watches all around the world. More importantly, this was due to be Android ‘Q’ and it’s tough to come up with a pudding that begins with a Q.
The software is due to start rolling out to users in the autumn.
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