Android's latest iteration to be christened with a candy moniker, picked by Google
Android 17, the upcoming mobile operating system from Google, is being developed under the internal codename "Cinnamon Bun". This sweet pastry-themed codename continues Google's tradition of using dessert-themed names, despite abandoning public dessert names with Android 10 in 2019.
The codename "Cinnamon Bun" was chosen to logically follow the dessert theme, as Android 16 was named "Baklava". The new development process for Google's mobile OS, which integrates all new features, fixes, and APIs into one main branch that remains constantly stable, influenced the naming reset starting with Android 16. This change in development process reflects a fundamental shift, allowing Google to overcome inefficiencies and accelerate releases.
The stable release of Android 17, with API level 37.0, is expected in June 2026. The transition to this new development process was completed with Android 14 QPR2, which also resulted in an update to the build identifier scheme. It's worth noting that the first stable build of Android 17, like the first stable build of Android 14, received an identifier starting with the letter A.
Google's new development process is a departure from the branch-based approach, adopting a trunk-based model instead. This model streamlines and speeds up Android development compared to the older approach. Developers within Google continue to assign code names to their projects, but these names are no longer used for public marketing purposes.
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The naming of Android 17, "Cinnamon Bun," was significantly influenced by the shift in Google's mobile OS development process, which features a streamlined trunk-based model following the completion of Android 14 QPR2. This shift in development approach was rooted in the integration of new features, fixes, and APIs into one continuous main branch, which is a move away from the old branch-based approach. Science and technology plays a crucial role in this development, enabling Google to accelerate releases and overcome inefficiencies, while the naming convention continues to reflect a dessert theme, echoing Android 16's codename, "Baklava."
