Android has had more official version names than almost any other operating system, and fans still argue about which dessert-themed release was the best. This guide lists the names of all the Android versions in order, from the earliest public releases to the modern numbered versions, and explains why Google changed its naming system along the way.
Android is developed by Google and used on phones, tablets, watches, televisions, and cars. Each major release has traditionally carried a version number and, for many years, a dessert-themed codename. The names of all the Android versions therefore tell two stories at once: the technical history of the platform, and a playful naming tradition that became a beloved part of Android culture.
The Names of All the Android Versions in Order
The earliest Android releases had no public dessert names. Android 1.0 launched in 2008, followed by Android 1.1, known internally as Petit Four. The dessert tradition began publicly with Android 1.5 Cupcake in 2009, and from there each major release took the next letter of the alphabet and a matching dessert: Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, Nougat, Oreo, and Pie.
After Android 9 Pie in 2018, Google retired the dessert names as the primary public branding and moved to simple numbers: Android 10, Android 11, Android 12, and so on. Dessert codenames still exist internally, but the public name of each release is now just its number. The table below lists the names of all the Android versions from the beginning to the present numbering era.
| Version | Public Name | Era |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0–1.1 | No public dessert name (1.1: Petit Four internally) | 2008–2009 |
| 1.5 | Cupcake | 2009 |
| 1.6 | Donut | 2009 |
| 2.0–2.1 | Eclair | 2009–2010 |
| 2.2 | Froyo | 2010 |
| 2.3 | Gingerbread | 2010–2011 |
| 3.x | Honeycomb (tablet-focused) | 2011 |
| 4.0 | Ice Cream Sandwich | 2011 |
| 4.1–4.3 | Jelly Bean | 2012–2013 |
| 4.4 | KitKat | 2013 |
| 5.0–5.1 | Lollipop | 2014–2015 |
| 6.0 | Marshmallow | 2015 |
| 7.0–7.1 | Nougat | 2016 |
| 8.0–8.1 | Oreo | 2017 |
| 9 | Pie | 2018 |
| 10 onwards | Android 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and later numbers | 2019 onwards |
Why Did Android Use Dessert Names?
The dessert names began as an internal joke among Android engineers and grew into a marketing tradition. Each release’s name followed the alphabet, which made the sequence easy to follow and gave fans something to speculate about before each launch. Google marked each release by unveiling a statue of the dessert outside its offices, and the statue unveilings became events in their own right, covered by technology press around the world.
Some names involved partnerships: KitKat was a collaboration with the chocolate brand, and Oreo likewise. Others, like Nougat and Marshmallow, were chosen after public speculation and debate. The tradition gave Android a personality that contrasted with the more sober version numbering of its rivals.
Why Did Google Switch to Numbers?
Google gave two main reasons for retiring dessert names as the public brand after Pie. First, dessert names do not translate equally well around the world: some desserts are unfamiliar in some cultures, and the alphabetical sequence only works in English. Second, as Android’s audience grew to billions of users, many of whom were not technology enthusiasts, a simple number was clearer. Android 10 is immediately understandable as newer than Android 9 in a way that a dessert name is not.
The change was not universally popular with long-time fans, but it reflected Android’s shift from an enthusiast platform to a global mass-market operating system. Internal dessert codenames continue, keeping a link to the tradition for those who follow it.
Major Milestones Among the Names of All the Android Versions
Certain releases stand out in Android’s history. Cupcake introduced the on-screen keyboard and video recording. Gingerbread refined the interface and added support for larger screens. Ice Cream Sandwich unified the phone and tablet interfaces after the tablet-only Honeycomb. KitKat was designed to run well on lower-end hardware, expanding Android’s reach. Lollipop brought the Material Design visual language. Marshmallow introduced granular app permissions. Oreo added picture-in-picture and notification channels. Android 10 introduced system-wide dark mode and gesture navigation. Each of these releases changed how Android phones felt to use, which is why enthusiasts remember the names fondly.
How to Check Your Android Version
On most Android phones, open Settings, then look for About Phone or About Device, where the Android version number is listed. The dessert name is no longer shown on modern devices, which now display only the number. If you are troubleshooting an app or checking whether your phone still receives updates, the number is the detail that matters.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Names of All the Android Versions
What was the first Android version called?
Android 1.0 had no public dessert name. The dessert tradition began with Android 1.5 Cupcake.
Why is there no Android version named after Q, R, or later letters?
Google retired public dessert names after Android 9 Pie, so later releases are known only by number, although internal codenames continue.
Which Android version introduced Material Design?
Android 5.0 Lollipop introduced the Material Design visual language that still shapes Android’s look today.
Does the dessert name affect what my phone can do?
No. The name is branding. What matters is the version number and whether your device manufacturer still provides updates for it.
Fan Favourites Among the Names of All the Android Versions
Ask Android enthusiasts to name their favourite release and you will hear passionate answers. KitKat is often praised for bringing smooth performance to cheaper phones, expanding Android’s reach to billions of new users. Lollipop is remembered for Material Design, the visual overhaul that still shapes Android today. Marshmallow is remembered for permission controls that gave users real power over what apps could access. Oreo is remembered for polish and refinement. And Pie is remembered fondly as the last dessert name, the end of an era that fans still miss.
These favourites are not just nostalgia. Each marked a genuine step forward in what a phone could do, and each influenced the direction of the whole smartphone industry. Competing platforms borrowed ideas from Android releases, and Android borrowed ideas back, in a cycle that has driven rapid progress for everyone.
Android Beyond Phones
The names of all the Android versions belong to a platform that long ago outgrew phones. Android runs on tablets, watches, televisions, cars, and a vast range of specialised devices, from point-of-sale terminals to industrial equipment. The version number on a television or a watch may lag behind phones, because each device category updates on its own schedule, and manufacturers customise Android for their hardware. That fragmentation is Android’s greatest strength and its greatest weakness: enormous choice and flexibility, at the cost of uneven update timing.
For users, the practical point is simple: check the version number on your specific device, and check your manufacturer’s update policy, rather than assuming that a new Android release reaches every device at once. The dessert names may be gone, but the platform they named is bigger than ever.
A Timeline of the Names of All the Android Versions
The story of the names of all the Android versions can be told as a timeline of the smartphone itself. In 2008 and 2009, Android was a newcomer, and its first releases — 1.0, 1.1, Cupcake, Donut, and Eclair — were about proving the platform worked at all. By 2010 and 2011, Froyo, Gingerbread, and Honeycomb showed Android scaling to millions of devices and to tablets. In 2012 and 2013, Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean unified the platform and refined it. KitKat in 2013 and Lollipop in 2014 brought polish and design coherence. Marshmallow, Nougat, Oreo, and Pie from 2015 to 2018 matured the platform with permissions, multitasking, and refinement. And from Android 10 onwards, the numbered era has focused on privacy, gesture navigation, and integration across device types.
Each era also reflects the competition of its time. Early Android competed with established phone platforms; mid-era Android competed head-on with its main rival for the premium market; modern Android competes across watches, televisions, cars, and foldables. The version names, playful as they were, chart that entire journey.
The Legacy of Android’s Dessert Names
Even though public dessert names ended with Pie, their legacy survives in Android culture. Enthusiasts still refer to releases by their dessert names, statues of the desserts remain a feature of Google’s campus lore, and each new numbered release prompts speculation about what its internal dessert codename might be. The naming tradition gave Android a warmth and personality that pure numbers rarely achieve, and it helped build a community of fans who followed each release like followers of a sports team. That community, in turn, helped Android grow: fans recommended the platform, developed apps for it, and explained it to less technical users. The desserts were marketing, but they were also community-building, and their effect outlasted the names themselves.
For new users, the dessert era is now history, but it is history worth knowing. When an older article refers to Android Oreo or Android Marshmallow, you now know exactly where those releases sit in the sequence, and you can translate them into the numbers that matter for compatibility and updates.
The names of all the Android versions trace a journey from Cupcake to Pie and then into the numbered era — a naming tradition that became part of Android’s identity before giving way to simpler numbers for a global audience. For more technology explainers, see our guides on Airwolf TV show and ABC Family TV series.
