Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Released in the fall of 2015, Android 6.0 Marshmallow used the sweet treat favored by campers as its main symbol. Internally, Google used “Macadamia Nut Cookie” for Android 6.0 before the official Marshmallow moniker marked its place in Android history. It included features such as a new vertically scrolling app drawer, along with Google Now on Tap, native support for fingerprint biometric unlocking, USB-C support, the introduction of Android Pay (now Google Pay), and much more.
The first devices that shipped with Marshmallow pre-installed were Google’s Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X smartphones. It also came on the Pixel C tablet.
Android 7.0 Nougat
Version 7.0 of Google’s mobile operating system launched in the fall of 2016. Before the reveal of Nougat, Google internally called Android N “New York Cheesecake.” Nougat’s many new features included better multi-tasking functions for the growing number of smartphones with bigger displays, such as split-screen mode, along with quick switching between apps.
Google made some big changes behind the scenes, too. It switched to a new JIT compiler to speed up apps, supported the Vulkan API for faster 3D rendering, and enabled OEMs to support its now-defunct Daydream VR platform.
Google also used the release to make a bold push into the premium smartphone market. The company’s own Pixel and Pixel XL, along with the LG V20, were the first to be released with Nougat pre-installed.
Android 8.0 Oreo
In March 2017, Google officially announced and released the first developer preview for Android O, also known as Android 8.0. Before that release, Hiroshi Lockheimer, the senior vice president of Android at Google, posted a GIF of an Oreo cake on Twitter (now X)— the first solid hint that Oreo, the famous cookie, would indeed be the official codename for Android 8.0.
In August, Google confirmed the cookie-inspired public name for Android 8.0. It was the second time the company chose a trademarked name for Android (Nabisco owns Oreo). In a break from its tradition, Google showed off the Android Oreo mascot statue for the first time at a press event in New York City. Google erected a second statue at its main headquarters later that day.
Android Oreo packed in lots of visual changes to the Settings menu. It also included native support for picture-in-picture mode, notification channels, new autofill APIs to manage passwords better and fill data, and much more. Android Oreo first came installed on Google’s own Pixel 2 phones.
Android 9.0 Pie
Google launched the first developer preview of the next major Android update, Android 9.0 P, on March 7, 2018. On August 6, 2018, the company officially launched the final version of Android 9.0. The official codename was “Pie.”
Android 9.0 Pie included some significant new features and changes, which proved to be important in Android history. One of them ditched the navigation buttons in favor of one elongated button in the center. Swiping up from it brings up Overview. You can swipe left to see all your recently opened apps. It’s also possible to drag the home button to the right to scroll through your apps quickly.
Android 9.0 Pie also included some new features designed to help extend your smartphone’s battery life. Android 3.0 achieves this using on-device machine learning. This predicts which apps you will use, and which apps you won’t use until later. Pie also has Shush. This feature automatically puts your phone in Do Not Disturb mode when you flip it over. There’s also Slices, which provides a smaller version of an installed app inside Google Search, offering certain app functions without opening the entire application.
As usual, Android 9.0 Pie was available first officially for Google’s Pixel phones, but it also launched on the Essential Phone at the same time.
Android 10
Ten years after the launch of the OS, we got another major Android history milestone. Google launched the first official developer preview of Android Q, on March 13, 2019. On August 22, 2019, Google announced a major refresh of the Android brand. That included a new logo and, more importantly, the decision to ditch the traditional dessert name for the next version. As a result, Android Q launched as Android 10. On September 3, 2019, it launched for Google’s Pixel devices.
Android 10 had many new features and improvements, as well as several new APIs. That included support for the rush of then-upcoming foldable phones. Android 10 also introduced a system-wide dark mode, along with new gesture-navigation controls, a more efficient sharing menu, smart reply features for all messaging apps, and more control over app-based permissions.
Android 11
On February 18, 2020, Google launched the first Developer Preview for Android 11. After several more public beta releases, the final version of Android 11 launched on September 8, 2020.
Android 11 arrived with plenty of new features. That includes a new Conversations notification category where the system gathers all of your chats from various apps. You also got the option to save every notification that has appeared on your phone in the past 24 hours. There was also a feature that allowed you record your phone’s screen, complete with audio, without needing a third-party app. A section of Android 11 dedicated to controlling smart home devices was included, too.
Pixel phones, however, got an Android 11 exclusive feature. It used AI and machine learning to control which apps appear on your phone’s dock.
Google mounted its traditional statue to celebrate Android 11’s launch, but it also released an AR version of the statue for all Android ARCore phones. It even came with a couple of Easter Eggs, including a recipe for making red velvet cake. That also happens to be the internal codename for the OS at Google.
Android 12
Android 12 first launched on February 18 in a Developer Preview version. While the internal code name for the OS was reported to be “Snow cone,” this software update was simply released as “Android 12.”
Android 12 was officially launched on October 19, 2021, alongside the Pixel 6 series. Likely the most significant upgrade you’ll notice in this software version is a complete overhaul of the user interface. Google returned to the drawing board to create a more dynamic and relatable interface. They’ve called it Material You.
Material You blends multiple elements into a single design language across the whole Android experience. For example, the UI can extract colors from your wallpaper and use them to theme the rest of the experience. Widgets became easier to use and much more adaptable to their environment. Quick Settings turned into larger tiles for easier access. The Settings menu got a cleaner look with larger text. There are also smoother animations.
There was also a variety of other minor improvements. These included scrollable screen captures, nicer notifications, App Search, easier Wi-Fi sharing with Nearby Share, One-handed mode, audio selection access from the media player, and more. We have a post with all the Android 12 features if you want to dig deeper into this OS version.
In March 2022, Google launched a big update, Android 12L. Most of its new features were designed for devices with bigger screens, like tablets and foldable phones. They include multiple split screen orientations and sizes. Other included featured included were a way to see notifications and the quick settings menu side-by-side, a PC-like taskbar, and more.
Android 13
Google launched the first developer preview of Android 13 in February 2022, and the first public beta for Pixel devices launched in April 2022. The stable version then launched on August 15, 2022. By the way, the internal code name for Android 13 is “Tiramisu.” However, as with the other latest Android versions, this internal desert name never reached the official name. It’s just Android 13.
Android 13 is more of an incremental update over Android 12. The design and general look stayed very similar, but some pretty nice Android 13 features were added to the portfolio. Google added some extra Material You theme options, a Now Playing widget, a more intuitive QR scanner, native Bluetooth LE audio support, per-app language settings, locked screen smart home controls, and access to digital car keys. There are also plenty of security and privacy features.
Android 14
The latest Android version codename is “Upside Down Cake.” The first developer preview of Android 14 came out on February 8, 2023. It launched along with the Google Pixel 8 series in October of the same year, and has been making it to other devices since then.
Android 14 comes with great features. Some include the ability to make the font larger, notification flashes, language improvements, battery-focused improvements, more granular access to photos and videos, and more. There are also cool customization features, such as Emoji wallpapers, custom lock screens, etc.
Overall, Android 14 is primarily about refinement and evolution, more so than it is about innovation. It builds upon Android 13 and brings a bunch of minor upgrades across the whole experience.
Android 15
What’s next? Well, Android 15, of course. The software is now in beta, so early adopters can start testing it. While development continues to be in its infancy, we already know of some features to come.
Upcoming features include partial screen-sharing, satellite connectivity support, new camera controls, a high-quality webcam mode, and much more. You can learn all about what we know about Android 15 here.
As for a release date, Google usually launches its new OS versions along with Pixel devices. The Pixel 9 should come sometime around October. Chances are that’s when we will see the final version of Android 15.
The future of Android historyAndroid history shows the mobile OS has come a long way since its humble beginnings. It is the leading mobile operating system worldwide, with over 70% market share.
The Mountain View company is still furthering the development of Android. There are signs its long-term plans could extend further afield, though.
Android continues to go from strength to strength, but there are challenges ahead.In the meantime, Android continues to go from strength to strength — though challenges are on the horizon.
The Android history with update rollouts has improved thanks to initiatives like Project Treble and Project Mainline, but fragmentation is still a concern. Likewise, while companies like Samsung and OnePlus have committed to offering up to seven years of OS upgrades and security updates, many OEMs still end support at two years or even just 12 months.
Google’s flagbearer in Android history — the Google Pixel series — continues to divide critics and consumers, but the real concern is the increasingly experimental form factors from other phone makers — form factors that stretch the boundaries of Android’s current capabilities. Foldable phones may be a nascent category with luxury price tags and niche appeal, but they’ve already exposed the weaknesses of Android as an OS for larger screen sizes.
While it may soon need to adapt to unique designs, Android will likely continue to dominate the market. The OS comes on phones sold for less than $100. It’s also available in expensive flagship devices that cost well over $1,000. That flexibility, combined with yearly updates, should ensure Android will remain the leader in this industry for years to come.
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