Android versions and their names, from version 1.5 Cupcake to the latest

Google did not start out from the beginning, naming Android versions. It wasn’t until the 3rd iteration of the software, Android 1.5, that we got the first in what was to be a long line of Android version names. That first sweet and tasty name was Cupcake.

Though the first commercial version of Android was not ready till November 2008, September 2007 was when Android OS was first unveiled. Since then, it has been updated many times. It is history time, Mobilistas. Let’s get started.

All Android version names and history

Here is a list of all android version names from Cupcake in 2009 till Pie in 2018. The list also includes the Android operating system versions that do not have a dessert name, so it is a constantly updated list of Android OS versions.

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1. Android 1.0 – Released in September 2008.
2. Android 1.1 – Released in February 2009.
3. Android 1.5: Cupcake– Released in April 2009.
4. Android 1.6: Donut – Released in September 2009.
5. Android 2.0 to 2.1: Eclairs – Released in October 2009.
6. Android 2.2: Froyo – Released in May 2010.
7. Android 2.3, to 2.4: Gingerbread – Released in December 2010.
8. Android 3.0 to 3.2: Honeycomb – Released in February 2011.
9. Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich – Released in October 2011.
10. Android 4.1 to 4.3: JellyBean – Released in July 2012.
11. Android 4.4 KitKat – Released in October 2013.
12. Android 5.0 to 5.1 Lollipop – Released in November 2014.
13. Android 6.0: Marshmallow – Released in October 2015.
14. Android 7.0 to 7.1: Nougat – Released in August 2016.
15. Android 8.0 to 8.1: Oreo – Released in August 2017.
16. Android 9.0: Pie – Released in August 2018. After Android 9 Pie, Google discontinued the use of names and adoped a numbering system only.
17. Android 10: Released in September 2019.
18. Android 11: Released in 2020
19. Android 12: Released in 2021
20. Android 13: Released in 2022
21. Android 14: Released in 2023
22. Android 15: Released in 2024

And the pattern of naming Android versions with dessert names ended after Android 9 Pie. During the Android 10 unveiling, Google announced that Android OS would no longer be so named but would stick to a number pattern only, and Android 10 was just Android 10.

And so it was that Android Pie became the last of the Android version names. The next versions will be known by their numbers only, e.g., Android 11, Android 12.

As you can also see from the list of Android version names, Google did not start out releasing updates on an annual basis. It was not until after Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich in 2011 that Android OS updates became a yearly affair.

Who maintains Android OS?

Officially, Google and the Open Handset Alliance are responsible for the maintenance of the Android Open Source Project. The Open Handset Alliance is an ever-growing consortium of mobile device manufacturers, developers, and network operators. Members include companies like Google, Samsung, Huawei, OPPO, Acer, Alcatel, ZTE, G, Sony, HTC, Motorola, Qualcomm, and MediaTek, among others. A complete list of all current members can be found HERE.

Questions have been raised about whether the Alliance is actually involved in any work with Android OS, as it appears that Google has been single-handedly carrying out development work on the operating system. To all intents and purposes, the Open Handset Alliance is a dummy.

Google runs the show and has been responsible for development work, including software versions and updates, on Android OS for years. Even the OHA website is a relic in terms of website design and the last update on it was in 2011, which speaks volumes.

Android OS has come a long way since the first Android phone (and also my first Android phone), HTC Dream AKA T-Mobile G1, which was released in late 2008. In its 11th year now, about 87% of smartphones in use in 2019 are Android devices.

That’s it for this episode. We hope that this feature on Android version names and history has been enlightening, informative, or just entertaining. MobilityArena has lots more informative content for you. If it is about mobile phones and smartphones, we likely have published something about it. Use the search button at the top of the page to find the information you need. 

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