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Google drops some hints about the name of Android M

David Nield
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“What’s M Gonna Be?” - #NatAndLo
What’s your money on for the name of Google’s next mobile operating system? It seems like the company enjoys the regular circus of speculation every time there’s a new Android in town, and this year’s release is no different: There’s now an official video suggesting a dozen or so possibilities that fit with the Android naming strategy.

The official monikers used for Android versions are always names of desserts or confectionery. Some suggestions put forward by Google include marshmallow, milkshake, macaroon, and meringue — whether the actual name is in there is anyone’s guess. If another KitKat-style licensing deal is in the offing, then M&Ms seems like a good bet.

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As usual, the launch of the new version of Android will be marked with another robot statue on the lawn of Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California. Based on the sneak preview we get at the end of the promotional video clip, it looks as though the new human-sized robot will certainly look a little bit like a marshmallow. What’s your prediction?

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The video, by Google employees Nat and Lo, says Android M is “about to drop” so we shouldn’t have too much longer to wait. Based on the number of leaks we’ve seen around this year’s Nexus phones, it appears that Google’s next round of hardware and software updates are going to go public sooner rather than later. Last year, Android Lollipop and the Nexus 6 were both announced on October 15.

To refresh your memory, the names used so far have been Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, and Lollipop. The new Android M brings with it a number of new features, including improved battery life, better app permission management, native support for USB Type-C and fingerprint authentication, Android Pay, and an even smarter Google Now.

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David Nield
David Nield
Contributor
Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…
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