Can’t figure out which of the following is not a version of Android OS? Check out why Android is the most popular operating system in the world. Did you know there are 3 billion Android devices? Learn more interesting facts about Android in our article. Most of your queries about the Android OS are answered here. Learn how to update your Android OS version with the latest one. To read more useful articles, check out our page. And if you want to take a short way then check out our youtube channel.
In the article, we will be answering some of the most asked questions related to the Android OS. All the versions of the Android SO from the very start are mentioned below in the table. All the Android OS names are decided by Google themselves and up till Android 9, all had names of different sweets.
What are all the Android version names?
Android versions and their names
| No official name | 1.0 | 1 | September 23, 2008 |
| No official name | 1.1 | 2 | February 9, 2009 |
| Cupcake | 1.5 | 3 | April 27, 2009 |
| Donut | 1.6 | 4 | September 15, 2009 |
| Eclair | 2.0 – 2.1 | 5 – 7 | October 26, 2009 |
| Froyo | 2.2 – 2.2.3 | 8 | May 20, 2010 |
| Gingerbread | 2.3 – 2.3.7 | 9 – 10 | December 6, 2010 |
| Honeycomb | 3.0 – 3.2.6 | 11 – 13 | February 22, 2011 |
| Ice Cream Sandwich | 4.0 – 4.0.4 | 14 – 15 | October 18, 2011 |
| Jelly Bean | 4.1 – 4.3.1 | 16 – 18 | July 9, 2012 |
| KitKat | 4.4 – 4.4.4 | 19 – 20 | October 31, 2013 |
| Lollipop | 5.0 – 5.1.1 | 21- 22 | November 12, 2014 |
| Marshmallow | 6.0 – 6.0.1 | 23 | October 5, 2015 |
| Nougat | 7.0 | 24 | August 22, 2016 |
| Nougat | 7.1.0 – 7.1.2 | 25 | October 4, 2016 |
| Oreo | 8.0 | 26 | August 21, 2017 |
| Oreo | 8.1 | 27 | December 5, 2017 |
| Pie | 9.0 | 28 | August 6, 2018 |
| Android 10 | 10.0 | 29 | September 3, 2019 |
| Android 11 | 11 | 30 | September 8, 2020 |
| Android 12 | 12 | 31 | November 2021 |
Here’s why Google names the OS after sweets
You must notice in the above table that until Android version 10, all the names are of foods and candies. There have been many discussions online and asked questions in interviews regarding the naming of the Android versions. The question raised in a CNN interview was “It’s kind of like an internal team thing, and we prefer to be a little bit — how should I say — a bit inscrutable in the matter, I’ll say.”
But this was not the answer we were hoping for, there was another answer by Google’s spokesperson. It was more insightful and satisfactory for all the Android users. “Android is the operating system that powers over 1 billion smartphones and tablets. Since these devices make our lives so sweet, each Android version is named after a dessert: Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, and Jelly Bean. As everybody finds it difficult to stay away from chocolate we decided to name the next version of Android after one of our favorite chocolate treats, Kitkat.” [ref]
Now other companies also name their products after real things like animals or nature-inspired products. But since Google is at this level, their products are present in almost every country, people noticed for the same reason. Another example of big tech companies naming products after animals is Apple, their OS named after big cats. But since Android phones are most used, people know mostly only about Google’s OS naming scheme.
What is Android 7, 8, 9 called?
After the introduction of Android 6, all the versions after no official name was given and there was only a number given. Android 7.0, was named “Nougat” and it was given the name “Android N” while developing. This is because it was the 14th original version of Android OS and the 7th major version.
In the case of Android 8.0, the name was given “Oreo” and during development, it was given the name “Android O”. This is because it was the 15th original version of Android OS and the 8th major version.
The story is the same for Android 9.0, the name given by the developers was “Pie”. This is because it was the 16th original version of Android OS and the 9th major version.
These Android OS have numbers instead of the usual names after sweets because Google was changing their naming scheme for their OS. This is why we are seeing the trend of Android 7, Android 8, and the next version will be Android 10. There is one more reason for the name change. It is easier for users to understand which version they are using and if they need to update their OS version. Before this, users would need to check the list online and compare their Android version against the list.
Is Android owned by Google?
If you have been living under a rock for the last 10 years, you should know that Android OS is developed and owned by Google. Along with the OS, Google also owns all the apps which come pre-installed like Youtube, Gmail, etc. Google is responsible for imposing all the Android device certifications & app licensing.
Can the Android version be updated?
Yes, it is possible to update your Android version with the latest one, if your device and the new update are available. You will receive notification for the update via OTA (over-the-air) on your smartphone. Check online if your Android phone is supported for the newest Android version, the latest is Android 9.
To check if your phone has any updates available then follow these steps:
- Search and open “Settings” and look for “About device”
- Tap on it and then tap on “System Updates”, then “Check for updates”
- Now if any update is available then click “update”, read the description check if it is the new version of Android OS
What is the most current version of Android?
As of 2021, the latest version of Android OS is “Android 11” and is available on most Android smartphones. But you can get Android 12 if you have Google’s pixel. The versions are arranged in ascending order below:
Oreo (8) < Pie (7) < Nougat (9) < Android 10 < Android 11 < Android 12
Nougat is not the only one; Marshmallow, Lollipop, KitKat, and Jelly Bean, all have lost a little amount of Android platform share.
Which Android version is the best?
There is no single answer for this question since it differs from person to person. But most likely, it is the latest version of Android OS at any given time. Since the newer version of the Android OS will have more features and will run smoother than previous versions. But if there are a lot of bugs in the new Android OS, then it will affect the user’s experience.
Since Android 11 is the latest, it is also the most popular across Android smartphones and it has about 30.6% market share. It means more than 30% of all Android phones are running Android 11 and next is Android 10 with 27.2%.
How do I find the Android version?
You can easily find the current version of Android OS on your smartphone, follow the steps mentioned below:
- Start your phone and open “Settings”
- Look for “About phone” and tap on it
- Now scroll down and look for “Android version”, you should find 10/11. This means your device is running Android 10 or Android 11.
Should I update Android 12?
Since the upgrade to Android 12 will be free and easy, you should update if your device receives the update option. But you should wait for 3-5 weeks to update since there will be several bugs in the first update. If you are fine with minor bugs and inconvenience, then you should update.
Android 12 will bring several new features and security patches to your smartphone, so you should upgrade without much thought.
What is new with Android 11?
There are several new features introduced in Android 11, here’s a list of some features:
- App suggestions
- Better power option
- Dark theme and scheduling feature
- Build-in screen recorder
- Dynamic media control
- Better voice search
- Temporary permissions
- More control over messages
- New notification history
- Pin favorite apps in the share page
- Enterprise permission improvement
There are some of the new features since different devices will get variations of features according to their UI like OneUI, Oxygen OS, Color OS, etc. Along with features, there are more internal security measures that are introduced with the update.
Is Samsung owned by Google?
NO, since Android OS is owned by Google and Google does not come under Samsung. However, Samsung has a huge percentage in the Android smartphone market, 23% market share during Q3 2021.
There are more companies with more percentage shares and this market share changes yearly based on the popularity of their smartphones. Samsung does own their custom UI skin called OneUI. The OneUI brings a lot of new features to their smartphones that are not available on other phones.
Are Android and Google the same?
We can say that technically both of them are the same, but you should know that Android is part of Google. Since Android is open-source which is owned by Google but anyone can use the platform. Google maintains and pushes the technology forward while both are related to each other.
In a nutshell, we can say that Android is a product of Google and Google is the company that owns it. Both are not the same but only related to each other.
Why is Android the most popular operating system?
Since we know that Android phones are the most popular smartphones in the world, even more than iPhones. And Android phones can only run Android OS by default, this is why the number of devices running Android is so large. Around 71% of all smartphones in the world run some version of Android OS.
As of 2021, there are 2.5 billion active Android users all across the world and 3 billion devices. This is why Android is the most popular operating system in the world and will stay for a while.
Summary
We have seen why the Android OS was named after sweets and why it is the most popular operating system in the world. Most of the frequently asked questions are answered in the article and more points are covered in them. But if you want to learn more about Android OS then you should visit their official website.
I am a Computer Science Engineer, have a passion for coding, sketching, and teaching. I took part in various college technical activities and was Mr. Fresher in the 1st year along with the college’s face. Spends most of the time learning new things and coding small codes for little fun and also as academic, keeping Python 3, Android as priority language for coding.
I love writing tech tips with 100% success and enjoying this new side of life. Finding a passion for new things and letting unlock my creativity and hoping to learn new scientific stuff on the journey of life and being grateful for smaller things.
