Google Announces Next Version of Android Will Be Called 'KitKat'

The next version of Android, 4.4, will be named after the famous chocolate-covered candy, KitKat. The news first broke on Sundar Pichai Google+ account, head of both Android and Chrome. In addition to the new name, Pichai announced that Android OS has passed over 1 billion device activations.

All this Android innovation is driving tremendous ecosystem momentum and I’m excited to share that together we’ve now passed 1 Billion Android device activations. Huge thanks to the entire Android community from the hardware manufacturers, chip makers and carriers to the developers and content creators to all of you - our Android users around the world - for making this possible.

On my return from Asia, I was also thrilled to find this guy waiting to greet me on the front lawn -- love the new #AndroidKitKat statue and can’t wait to release the next version of the platform that is as sweet as the candy bar that’s one of our team’s favorites:)


Google has internally referred to this release as Key Lime Pie, but the company reportedly decided to switch to the KitKat name as it was a favorite snack of many Android developers and since "very few people actually know the taste of a key lime pie."

Google is also partnering with Kit Kat, offering the chance to win a Nexus 7 or Google Play credit on specially marked Kit Kat candy bars.

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, Kit Kat!

Reportedly, this is "not a money-changing-hands kind of deal," and Google simply wanted to do something "fun and unexpected."

Read More via BBC