Major Android operating system updates have been a lot less fun in the last couple of years. Not only because the coronavirus robbed us of a proper reveal during Google I/O, but also because the company abandoned the tradition of sweet treat-themed names for Android 10 ‘Q’ and seemingly did the same Android 11 ‘R’ this year.
However, judging by new reports, it seems Google has been keeping the tradition alive internally. Apparently, Android R refers to Android Red Velvet Cake or RVC for short.
The word comes from Android VP of engineering Dave Burke, who spilled the beans in an interview with All About Android recently (via Droid Life). You can see it in the video below.
Now we’re just thinking Android 10 missed out on a dessert-based name because Google couldn’t come up with a Q sweet to follow Pie, Oreo, Marshmallow, Lollipop, KitKat, Jelly Bean, Ice Cream Sandwich, Honeycomb, Gingerbread, Froyo, Eclair, Donut and Cupcake.
Related: Best Android phones 2020
However, apparently that’s not the case either. According to Burke, they did the same for Android 10. It was called Quince Tart internally and would have been Queen Cake if the company hadn’t been such a spoil sport with Android 10.
Anyway, we’re calling it Android 11 Red Velvet Cake from now on. So there.
So what can we expect from Android 11 Red Velvet Cake when it arrives this autumn, probably alongside the Google Pixel 5 smartphone? Well, there’s a host of new features to look forward to. There’s distinct chat notifications, chat bubbles such as those we’ve seen in the past from Facebook Messenger, easier controls, dark mode scheduling, call recording, screen recording and some improved privacy settings.
The first public beta of Android 11 is already available, and it just so happens we’ve got a handy guide on how to install Android 11 here to help you out.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
