In a surprising move, Google’s Sundar Pichai, head of Android and Chrome has confirmed that the next version of Android will be called Android KitKat, and will carry the version number as 4.4, and not Android 5.0.
This put an end to the long standing rumors that the company would unveil Android 5.0 to the public, and that the name, Key Lime Pie was used internally to refer to Android 4.4. Interestingly, Google has named this Android release as KitKat, since only a very few people have tasted Key Lime Pie in real-life.
Google’s representatives have shared a secret story with BBC about the naming. Mr. Lagerling from Google says:
We kept calling the name Key Lime Pie internally and even when we referred to it with partners,
On the fun part, KitKat has also been a favorite snack for the Android coders, that Google decided to talk to Nestle to use the name for the next version of Android. Both the companies are now under an understanding, and they don’t have to pay each other to use this name. Google confirmed BBC.
Interestingly, Google has put up a dedicated site, which walks you through all the Android versions till date. And when the page reaches the Android 4.4’s section, it reads, “it’s our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody.”
I personally found this statement to be a normal statement that the company has been giving out ever since they started off with Android. But there’s no clue about what the next version of Android would be all about and what kind of integration it will try to bring to the users to pull them even more info the Android ecosystem.
On the other hand, Google is also expected to integrate Android into smartwatches, TVs, laptops and even gaming consoles, if the rumors are to be believed.
This move came in as a surprise to the community. Alongside this news, Sundar Pichai also confirmed that the Android activations are now at 1 billions across the world. He has also hinted that the release is coming anytime soon. We will be there to cover everything that happens with Android and Google.
If you’re yet to take a look at Android KitKat’s website, this is where you should be heading.