Since the public launch of Android 1.1 in 2009, Google have made it a tradition to name the successive versions of Android after desserts. This tradition was kept alive till last year, when Google decided to replace dessert names with version numbers, same way Apple does with iOS.
This year, Google seem to be going back to the codenaming, at least, internally.
Dave Burke, Android’s VP of engineering, revealed that Android 11 would be codenamed Red Velvet Cake; however, the name would be used internally, among his team of engineers., and not on any fancy publicity.
This is the same way Dave Burke revealed last year that Android 10 would be called Quince Tart. The code name was not used publicly, instead, Android 10 was used to refer to the 2019 version of Android.
Some users however, choose to call Android 10, Android Q. Dave continued to say that Android 10 would have been called Queen Cake, if the dessert name adaptation was not stopped.
While stating that Android 11 has been codenamed “Red Velvet Cake” or “RVC” among his team of engineers, Dave Burke reiterates that Google has moved on to the use of version numbers, instead of dessert names.
Google released the first version of Android in 2009, with the launch of Android 1.1 – codename Petit Four. Since then, Google have continued the tradition of naming subsequent versions after desserts.
Below are the codenames used for Android versions since 2009:
- Android 1.1 (Feb., 2009) – Petit Four
- Android 1.5 (Apr., 2009) – Cupcake
- Android 1.6 (Sept., 2009) – Donut
- Android 2.0 (Oct., 2009) – Éclair
- Android 2.2 (May, 2010) – Froyo
- Android 2.3 (Dec., 2010) – Gingerbread
- Android 3.0 (Feb., 2011) – Honeycomb
- Android 4.0 (Oct., 2011) – Ice Cream Sandwich
- Android 4.1 – 4.3 (July, 2012) – Jelly Bean
- Android 4.4 (Oct., 2013) – KitKat
- Android 5 (Nov., 2014) – Lollipop
- Android 6 (Oct., 2015) – Marshmallow
- Android 7 – 7.1 (Aug., 2016) – Nougat
- Android 8 – 8.1 (Aug., 2017) – Oreo
- Android 9 (Aug., 2018) – Pie
- Android 10 (Aug., 2019) – Android Q (Quince Tart)
And this year, the Android version that would have been called Android R, would be publicly called Android 11, and internally called Red Velvet Cake.
The adaptation of numbers instead of desserts is expected to help over 2 billion Android users relate better with the versions of Android.
Google has, since April, released the Android 11 Beta for developers.
