Google shared some sweet news
on Monday: The next version of its
mobile operating system will be
called Android Marshmallow.
As you may or may not know, nearly every version
of Android has been named after a candy or
dessert in alphabetical order, starting with the letter
"c." (The first two versions were just called Alpha
and Beta.)
"Some people think they're dessert-themed, but
it's really technically tasty treats," Hiroshi
Lockheimer, Android's vice president of
engineering, said in a behind the scenes video.
The Marshmallow announcement is a bit surprising
to Android insiders, who widely believed the next
version would be called "Macadamia Nut Cookie."
But Google has thrown Android-naming curveballs
before. In 2013, two versions of Android ago,
Google assigned the name "Kit Kat," when
everyone thought "Key Lime Pie" was a done-deal.
In an effort to do something "fun and unexpected,"
Google struck a last-minute deal with Nestle.
"A lot of people throw in their ideas -- internally as
well as externally," said Lockheimer. A French
pastry association even sent Google a treat for
naming consideration -- a kouglof -- for Android
K.
Developers got a first look at the new operating
system back in May, during Google's I/O
conference. Google gave the final version of
Android Marshmallow to developers on Monday,
and it will launch to the public in the fall.
Android Marshmallow focuses on subtle
improvements to the user experience, including
squashing a ton of bugs and overhauling basic
features. The biggest addition is Android Pay,
Google's ( , Tech30 ) latest take on mobile
payments. It's pretty similar to Apple ( ,
Tech30 ) Pay, and a big improvement over Google
Wallet, the companies earlier attempt at a mobile
wallet.
Other Android M improvements include a new
permissions tool that gives users more control
over what data they share with apps. There are
battery saving features, in Marshmallow, as well as
a new tool that lets you open Chrome browser tabs
directly inside apps instead of asking users to
choose between Chrome and an app.
Here's a look back at all of Android's sugary
names:
Cupcake
Donut
Éclair
Froyo
Gingerbread
Honeycomb
Ice Cream Sandwich
Jelly Bean
Kit Kat
Lollipop
...and now, we have Marshmallow.
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