14 DAY TRIAL // Google decided to forgo the dessert name convention they have been using for the past decade, and chose to rename Android Q to Android 10.
A naming convention might not seem like much, but it’s actually crucial to the brand. It’s also true that Android is one of the most recognized brands in the world, and switching from dessert names to numbers is not going to be a big deal.
Android Q was the internal name of the upcoming release, and the community was having fun trying to think of what name is going to carry. Google is now using numbers for the forthcoming release, which might not be as fun, but at least it’s not going to as confusing.
Android 10 is the future
Since the new Android is the tenth one, it made sense for Google to try to shake things a little bit. We also have to keep in mind that Android has been using version numbers from the start, so it’s not going to be a significant change for everyone.
Fun names are not always useful when referring to a particular version, and users also have to remember the order in which the releases were made. Using numbers makes much more sense and solves some issues from all over the world as Google as Sameer Samat, VP of Product Management, explains.
“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.”
Google is also changing the logo for Android, keeping the head and switch to black for the actual Android name. It’s not much, and it’s still easily recognizable, so I doubt that a lot of users are going to notice.
Android 10 is expected to land in Q3 2019, likely by the end of August.
