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 latest
take on mobile payments. It's pretty similar to Apple 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment