While the developer preview for Android N has been out for a few weeks now, the official name of the operating system has yet to be released. One of the most exciting things about new Android releases (besides the OS itself, obviously) is what Google ends up naming it.
New nickname?
Speculation on what the nickname for the new iteration of the software will be has been going on for months now, and Google even allowed users to submit their suggestions for what the name should be. Fans of the OS don’t have to wait much longer, as Google has confirmed on Twitter that they will be releasing that name within the next “few weeks.”
Since the release of Android 1.5 seven years ago, Google has named the various versions of its operating system after desserts, alphabetically. Starting with Cupcake, the OS continued on to be named Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop, and Marshmallow. With Android M, or Marshmallow, being the last version, of course the next iteration of Android is N.
Final releases of the operating system are generally revealed alongside the release of new Google Nexus devices, and then the name is confirmed alongside it. This time, it seems like the tech giant will be releasing the name ahead of time, which is certainly a change of pace.
Android N coming soon
When Google announces the new names for versions of its operating system, it typically does do at the Googleplex in Mountain View, California. At the announcement, a statue is unveiled that has something to do with the various names of the operating systems. For example, when Android Marshmallow was released last year, Google presented a statue of the operating system’s robot mascot holding a giant marshmallow.
Google has so far released three separate developer previews of Android N, and plans to release two more before the final version in launched, which will likely be sometime in Q3. Users can expect to see the operating system release anytime between July 1 and September 30. While this is indeed a wide time frame in which to expect the software, it seems like Google likes to keep its Android fans on their toes.
