What you need to know
- Google has published a new code change to AOSP, revealing the codename for Android 14.
- According to the code change, Android 14 will be known as Upside-Down Cake.
- This continues the trend of Google using dessert names for new builds of AOSP and Android.
A few years ago, Google ditched the idea of introducing its new version of Android alongside the name of a tasty dessert. The last instance of this was Android 10, which is also known as Quince Tart. But the use of dessert names has continued for Google's internal development teams, and now we know what Android 14 will be referred to as.
As spotted by 9to5Google, a new code change was published to Android Open Source Project (AOSP). In this change, there's not a lot of information, but we now know that Android 14 will be internally referred to as Upside-Down Cake.
Over the past few years, Android 11 was called Red Velvet Cake, Android 12 was Snow Cone, and Android 13 goes by Tiramisu. The decision to use Upside-Down Cake with Android 14 doesn't really hold any major significance, so we don't expect to see Google partner with Hostess for an Android-themed cake. The days of Google partnering with KitKat and Oreo are long in the past, and will likely remain that way.
The reason for the dessert names, in general, comes down to offering a better codename for Android versions other than just using a number or a letter. Android 14 would have been known as "Android U," and that just doesn't have the same kind of "spark" that Android Upside-Down Cake has.
For the time being, there's nothing to write home about when it comes to Android 14. All this shows is that Google is picking up steam on the development of its next version of Android before it inevitably arrives for some of the best Android phones next year. And if it seems like this might be a bit early, you have to remember that just because Android 13 is still in Developer Preview, that doesn't mean that Google is just going to stop work on future versions.
While we still await the arrival of Android 13, if you want to be one of the first to test out new versions of Android, your best bet is to snag a Pixel 6. This features Google's latest hardware and offers an incredibly fluid user experience.
