Google I / O 2025will be livestreaming next week , and software developers from Google are ask to uncover Android 16 , which is slate to come out before the summer . The upcoming Android software package update is expected to bring a innkeeper of new features as well as some returning mechanics from a decade ago .
To hold our excitement for the coming conference over , we ’re going to take a promenade down retention lane with a perfect account of Android , from its modest start as a T - nomadic - single mobile technical school to an AI - advanced computer software to grace modern-day smartphones likeGoogle Pixel 9andSamsung Galaxy S25 . Android has come a long way since 2008 , and it has a foresighted way to go to be the ripe roving software for everyone . That being said , here ’s a full timeline of Android ’s evolution .
Android 1.0
Cupcake (Android 1.5)
Android 1.5 Cupcake was the first prison term a edition of the OS would be named after a angelical treat , free in early 2009 and give Android a playful identity that resonate with hoi polloi . Here , Android play into its playful demeanor by introducing third - party app widgets that can be added to the base screen , like a music instrumentalist and a calendar , added stereo support for Bluetooth , and allowed people to upload videos to YouTube . It even phase out the physical keyboard model on their phones , like the T - Mobile myTouch 3 guanine , and make them with the on - CRT screen keyboard to keep up with the iPhone .
Donut (Android 1.6)
Google solidified the sweet - themed codenaming for Android with the press release of Android 1.6 , Donut , rolling it out to Android users on September 15 , 2009 , and filling in holes that Cupcake could n’t . It added Android ’s first universal hunt box to make it easier to search contacts and other topics , generate developer the ability to let in their apps and other content in the search results of Android Market ( which will later be called Google Play Store ) , and allowed Android to run on different projection screen sizes and resolutions . Donut also kickstarted Android ’s expansion by adding CMDA financial support for other carriers , start with Verizon .
Eclair (Android 2.0)
Six week later , Google relinquish Android 2.0 , Eclair , which live through Android 2.1 . The first phone to run Eclair was the Motorola Droid , which was heavily promoted as an choice to the iPhone by Verizon ( whom Lucasfilm gave licence to apply the Droid name , by the style ) . Thecommercialswere essentially about Verizon bashing the iPhone for not induce the features that the Droid had good manners of Eclair , including interpreter - guided turn - by - number navigation , actual - time traffic information , language - to - textual matter , and unrecorded wallpaper . Google took the pinch - to - zoom characteristic from the iPhone and applied it to the software .
Froyo (Android 2.2)
In May 2010 , Android 2.2 , Froyo came out to leave as many carrying out enhancements as it did a few more features on the aerofoil . This patch ameliorate the phones ’ upper and remembering , added USB tethering and hotspot functionality , and added the sour grass to the bottom of the covert , which has since become an diligence measure . Froyo even add Adobe Flash keep for Android ’s WWW internet browser , which became less vernacular over time due to Apple ’s confrontation to it . It even countenance substance abuser to wirelessly link their phone to their cars with Bluetooth - enabled car support .
Gingerbread (Android 2.3)
Google release Android 2.3 , Gingerbread , on the Nexus S just in time for the holidays on December 6 , 2010 . At the time , the Android mascot , who is usually as green as Kermit the Frog , was dress as the gingerbread man to further the update , while Google paint Android ’s UI with a black and green color outline , giving the OS a distinct aim and users an easy prison term voyage the Android organisation . Gingerbread even gave the natural endowment of Near Field Communication ( NFC ) supporting .
Honeycomb (Android 3.0)
The February 2011 release of Android 3.0,Honeycomb , was unlawful because Matías Duarte , then the managing director of Android User Experience , designed it to be a lozenge - sole update . Released on theMotorola Xoom , Honeycomb lived up to its name with a reimagined UI that involved a honeycomb - like holographic paper and a black and blue coloring material pallette rather of pitch-dark and green as it appeared on most Android phone . Despite it being a pad - exclusive software , Honeycomb was unofficially ported over to the Nexus One , which enjoyed the same raw features the Xoom received , including a Recent Apps view for multitasking and customizable domicile blind .
Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0)
Android 4.0 , Ice Cream Sandwich , came as fast as the Honeycomb travel . This button appeared on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on December 16 , 2011 , making use of a vamp modern , minimalist pattern go through throughout the atomic number 8 and Android ’s app ecosystem , nicknamed “ Holo , ” and introduced the Roboto typeface . ICS also made it soft to swipe away notifications and recent apps , and added the power to post content to another Android drug user via NFC , updated the contact handler with social media integrating , and the power to reach the camera and ascendency euphony from the lock screen .
Jelly Bean (Android 4.1)
The Jelly Bean update – cross from Android 4.1 , which dropped July 9 , 2012 , through Android 4.3 , which released July 24 , 2013 – made Android run smoother and more responsive than previous updates . Android users get to experience expandable and actionable telling , the latter of which presented action buttons such as “ Call back ” or “ Message ” in case of a missed call . Jelly Bean introduced the ability for users to add widgets on the lock screen , like the world clock , Gmail , and the message app . exploiter also had the power to open up the tv camera by hook from the right side of the screen .
KitKat (Android 4.4)
identify after the pop chocolate measure , Android 4.4 gave users a break , as it were , from the darker scope that were supplied by previous update in exchange for loose - colored wallpapers October 31 , 2013 . To complement the candy - bleached backgrounds that descend with the KitKat update , the Google search bar became translucent and gather “ Ok , Google ” support , allowing the great unwashed to look for what they postulate with just the auditory sensation of their voice . Google Now , which was introduced in Jelly Bean , got its consecrate jury of the home projection screen that could be accessed with just a swipe .
Lollipop (Android 5.0)
Android 5.0 , Lollipop , which was released on November 4 , 2014 , marked a significant shift in design and operation with the entry of Material Design and Android Runtime ( ART ) . Material Design , now an industry standard UI conception for Android , brought about the ripple effect for buttons and made notifications come along on the lock screenland for quick access and the Recent App list show up as circuit board , give user the power to sift through them like papers in a file console . deplorably , it remove the customization of widgets from the lock screen .
Marshmallow (Android 6.0)
On the performance front , Android 6.0 , Marshmallow – release in 2015 – was as soft of an update as the pillow - y unfermented treat for which it was name save for the origination of opt - in permit and Now On Tap . Basically , Now On Tap was a new feature within Google Now that put up context - raw search results to information currently on display in any app when you view as down the Home button . ironware - wise , it sum aboriginal accompaniment for fingermark recognition and USB - cytosine charge cables , the latter of which has since become a general standard in the smartphone diligence .
Nougat (Android 7.0)
One of the most important upgrades Nougat brought to Android in 2016 was disunited - filmdom mode , earmark two apps to take up two halves of the total phone screen , like Google Chrome and a note of hand app for users who tend to do their research on the go . Split - screenland mode was a lineament that would normally be found in Windows computers to make work more effective for business sept and scholarly person , so it was a surprisal to see it on an Android phone . Other important upgrade included the addition of the “ Clear All ” push to the overview screen , characterization - in - picture support for Android tv set , and Google Assistant .
Oreo (Android 8.0)
As the name of this update suggests , Google sandwiched a fate of young features into Android gadget in 2017 , including aboriginal picture - in - moving picture support for video , downloadable baptismal font , print reinforcement , notification line that let you mastermind how apps can alert you ( or not ) , and the ability to snooze notifications so they would n’t distract you work or anything else . Oreo also featured Project Treble , a modular architecture that made it easier for hardware developer to redeem software program updates in a timely manner , and premise Android Go for budget phones run 2 GB of Aries or less .
Pie (Android 9)
Android 9 , Pie , was do up in 2018 with a o.k. categorisation of upgrades . One of them is the new gesture - driven navigation system that overhauled the home base , Back , and Overview keys and substitute them with a multifunctional , pill - determine Home push and a small Back button that appear as needed while catch around your phone . Pie even introduced a new dashboard foretell Digital Wellbeing , which gave you an melodic theme of how you ’re using your earpiece , how long you use different apps each daytime , and tools you could practice to throttle your screen fourth dimension – similar to Screen Time on iPhone .
Android 10
When Android 10 come out in 2019 , Google finally put its afters - theme gens for its software updates to repose in favor of numerical names to make the Android experience more globally accessible . Android 10 revamp the UI by replacing the motion - drive navigation system with a intemperately swipe - drive one so users could seamlessly switch between apps and multitask , and added new privacy permission to give user more mastery over location datum . It introduced a organization - wide dark theme to make it easier to apply the phone in a low - light environment and raise visibility for users with low vision – or citizenry who just do n’t like undimmed lights .
Android 11
Android 11came onto the scene in 2020 to tighten up user concealment and security department . fundamentally , it ameliorate upon permissions controls introduced in Android 10 by giving users the option to grant apps permit to access their position , photographic camera , and microphone on a trammel - foundation when requested . In other words , users would have to give those apps permission to access that information whether they ’re using an app , only once , or not at all . Android 10 also added a build - in screen registrar for users to enter whatever they ’re watch out without the need for a third - company filmdom - recording app .
Android 12
call back Material Design from Android 5.0 ? In 2021 , Android 12 update that UI design system to Material You , allowing Android user to customize their phone ’s appearance based on the colouring of their current wallpaper . For example , if they set a picture with pink and purple as their wallpaper , they have the choice of utilise that colour palette all across the system . Some of the apps will utilize those colors as well , even the calculating machine . Android 12 also bestow the Privacy Dashboard , providing an overview of which apps are using data , how much selective information they ’ve get at , and give users more control over that to reduce their peril of exposure .
Android 13
Android 13 , which launch in 2022 , was very subtle with its system of rules upgrades , which were add together at some point throughout its 365 - day lifetime . It brought a new native QR computer code scanning function to Android Quick configurations , enhance the organization clipboard interface , redesigned the music player to have the record album screen of each Sung look in the background , and made the number of combat-ready apps appear at the bottom of the notifications dialog box . Other than that , it required apps to quest permit from users before they could station telling , which made for a less distracting experience .
Android 14
The 2023 exit of Android 14 was just as subtle as the last update , but that does n’t mean its UI update was less ambitious . The font size could be increased up to 200 % – up from 130 % in previous updates – to make apps and article more accessible for substance abuser with optical handicap . It also elaborate Material You to total newfangled customization options for the lock screen , a new system for dragging and pretermit text in between apps , and a circumstance - requiring system for why apps want access to a exploiter ’s position when they request it , add another layer of seclusion and security measures to Android .
Android 15
Android 15 , which launched in the fall of 2023 after four extensive beta tryout , see the introduction of Private Space , which helps heighten privacy and security by keep sensible apps away from the prying eyes of other multitude in a good draftsman , like their filing cabinet , pic , even banking apps ( which need to be under hard-and-fast tribute , anyway ) . Once those apps are in the Private Space , they can only be access with authentication . It also added the Theft Protection Lock , which engage AI to automatically lock your phone if someone steal it , and introduce app pairing to tablets and folding earphone .
Android 16
Android 16 is currently in beta , with the official stable variation expected to come out before the end of Q2 2025 . The coming update is expected to pass Material You with Material 3 Expressive , which Google described in a leaked web log military post to have greater responsiveness and “ action constituent ” that pop . It is also expect to bring back lock screen thingamabob , which were phased out after Android 5.2 , and haveAuracastsupport to allow substance abuser to switch between Bluetooth devices .
What’s next for Android?
Over the retiring yr , Android has present AI computer programme into its proprietary and third - company smartphones , likeGoogle Gemini , to suffice users ’ questions , aid them brainstorm their next essay topic , enhance the lineament of their photos , and overall better their productivity and creativeness . We desire Android 16 will continue to amend its AI capabilities with Gemini . As for the rest of Android ’s future ? While we do n’t know for certain where it will go from here , we hope it continues being a mobile software package full of creativity and compassion for its users .
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