Android

Yummy Nomenclature – A history of Android version names

Android version names over the years have followed a clear pattern – alphabetical order and sweet treats. From Cupcake to Marshmallow and beyond, let’s decode Android’s history chapter-by-chapter based on these dessert-inspired names!

Chapter 1: Birth of Android (v1.0 – v1.1)

In the beginning days in 2008, Android version numbers weren’t based on desserts. The first two versions were simply Android 1.0 and 1.1.

Though lacking cute codenames initially, these laid vital foundations. Features like the Android Market (later Google Play), web browser, GPS and more arrived to enable the future OS explosion.

Chapter 2: Establishing Tradition (v1.5 – v2.1)

The dessert naming convention kicked off in 2009 with Android 1.5 Cupcake. This sweet update added widgets, keyboard shortcuts and auto-rotation.

Next came Android 1.6 Donut (2009), bringing speed boosts and the Android Market search function.

Android 2.0/2.1 Éclair (2009) followed, introducing speed/UI enhancements, the ever-important Google Maps nav, live wallpapers and speech-to-text.

Chapter 3: Iterating On Greatness (v2.2 – v4.1)

2010 saw Android 2.2 Froyo bring hot improvements like Wi-Fi tethering, cloud-to-device syncing and the now-standard browser speed boost.

Android 2.3 Gingerbread (2010) kept momentum going with NFC support, better copy/paste and other niceties.

2011 met us with Android 3.0 Honeycomb – the first tablet-focused flavor, though later integrated back into phones.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (2011) unified phones and tablets again under one yummy banner. Roboto font, data monitoring and facial unlock also debuted.

Jelly Bean arrived in 2012 across versions 4.1-4.3, introducing Google Now, notification expandability, easier text input and more.

Chapter 4: Maturing With Marshmallows to Nougats (v4.4 – v7.1)

2013’s Android 4.4 KitKat worked to optimize performance for a smoother experience across device classes.

The 2014 Android 5.0/5.1 Lollipop overhauled Android’s look with material design and also laid groundwork for lockscreen notifications and device encryption.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow (2015) introduced handy features like App Standby, Doze battery optimization and simplified volume controls.

Android 7.0 Nougat brought multi-window support, quicker multi-tasking and Direct Reply notifications. Android 7.1 refined UI visual tweaks further.

Chapter 5: Oreo Or Pie, My Android’s Sweet! (v8.0 – Present)

Android 8.0 Oreo (2017) stepped up background processing controls for better battery life and reducing interruptions.

Android 9 Pie in 2018 adopted an AI-boosted OS Adaptive Battery feature, along with Slices and Digital Wellbeing.

We’re still enjoying Android 10 and beyond. Numerous new features continue enhancing how our Androids automagically evolve.

Next time you use speech input, stream media smoothly or pay via NFC, thank those entrepreneurial Googlers – and the team’s sweet tooth! Here’s to enjoying delicious new Android treats for years to come.