Each year the world — the parts that pay close attention to smartphone news — speculates on what the next iteration of Android will be called. In line with Google’s historic naming conventions for the mobile OS, something tasty, sweet or even a brand name, is expected. This time around, however, Android has gone with something more… conservative.
The next Android version, previously dubbed Android Q, will be called Android 10. Hear that Samsung? They stole your idea. This is according to a blog post published today, and the company detailed why it opted to steer away from the sugar-filled naming convention.
Google mentions that its previous version monikers weren’t exactly… globally understood. People who speak languages that cannot distinguish between L and R, for example, struggled to understand that Lollipop came after KitKat. Android versions were named in alphabetical order, so it may have confused certain users. Users who were late to the party, who never had themselves some Jelly Bean, Lollipop, or KitKat. New users, in other words.
Also, few sweet snacks start with the letter Q (and none spring immediately to mind). We’re pretty sure that played a role in the naming redesign. It didn’t, says Google, but we totally reckon it did.
The rebrand also shows that Android is ‘growing up’. The company, as well as the OS, has grown over the years and appears ready to brand itself as a ‘grown-up’ operating system. We like the new style, Android 10. It looks good on you.
Source: Google Blog via the Verge