This archive report was first published on 22 August 2019.
Google has made a significant change to the Android naming convention, marking the end of an era for the dessert-themed monikers that have been a staple of the operating system since its early days.
As of Android 10, the company has decided to drop the dessert-inspired naming scheme, which has seen versions named after treats such as Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, and many more.
The decision was made to be more inclusive, as the names may not be universally understood or relatable across different cultures and languages.
According to Android's vice president of Product Management, Sameer Samat, the company has heard feedback over the years that the names weren't always clear or intuitive for everyone in the global community.
Additionally, there were concerns about the direct pronunciation of the release names in certain languages, as well as potential commercial considerations if the name used was a brand owned by another entity.
As for the low-hanging fruit, some have speculated that Google may have struggled to come up with a suitable treat name starting with the letter Q, leading to the decision to end the naming scheme.
However, Google has already debunked this theory, stating that the decision was made to be more inclusive and to reflect the global nature of the Android brand.
Alongside the new naming scheme, Google has also unveiled a revised logo for the Android brand, which builds on the design introduced in 2014.
