There’s A Good Reason Why Android Stopped Using Dessert Names For New Versions

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If you’re a longtime Android user or just a very well-informed iOS user, you probably remember how Android versions used to be named after desserts. Android 1.5 Cupcake, released in April 2009, was the operating system’s first public release to use a confectionery naming scheme. Since then, we’ve seen more than a dozen releases, each bearing the name of a popular sweet treat in alphabetical order — well, popular at least in some parts of the world.

This was one of the major reasons why Google pivoted away from attaching dessert names to Android releases in 2019. Sameer Samat, vice president of product management for Android, explained in a blog post how this naming scheme posed challenges for a global audience. In many parts of the world where treats like jelly beans or gingerbread aren’t particularly popular, it didn’t make much sense to market and label an entire version of Android around them.

This is likely why the final few Android versions preceding Android 10 were named after desserts with broader international recognition — KitKat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, Nougat, Oreo, and Pie. Plus, for languages where certain letters or sounds aren’t easily distinguishable (like Japanese with “L” and “R”), Google noted how the alphabetical naming convention can be confusing. Instead, it opted for a far simpler naming system based on numbers. It’s now easier to tell which version of Android your phone is running and whether it’s the newest one available.

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