Google has famously named each version of Android after a dessert or confectionery. With Android Q this changes. As well as introducing a new naming scheme, Google is also updating the branding for Android.
Android Q is to be called Android 10 — bringing Google’s mobile operating system in line with Microsoft’s Windows 10, and Apple’s iPhone X. The new name is accompanied by a new logo and a new color scheme.
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In a blog post about the new naming convention, Google says: “we’re changing the way we name our releases. Our engineering team has always used internal code names for each version, based off of tasty treats, or desserts, in alphabetical order. 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”.
The company goes on to explain the reason for the change — and it’s not because Q is a tricky letter to deal with!
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. 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.
As a global operating system, it’s important that these names are clear and relatable for everyone in the world. So, this next release of Android will simply use the version number and be called Android 10.
Another change is the Android logo. The lettering is changing from green to black, and the famous Android robot is now a part of the logo.
Google uses a video to highlight the evolution of Android’s brand identity:
What do you think? A good move?