Google’s Android release statues are a time-honoured tradition. In years past, fun versions of the Android robot have appeared on the lawns at Google HQ, always themed after the new release’s nickname.
The Android 4.4 release showed a KitKat shaped robot, for example, while Android 5.0 saw the loveable droid wielding an oversized lollipop show up in front of the Mountain View office buildings. This continued up to Android 9 Pie.
Now, Google is bringing the tradition to the augmented reality realm, enabling Android users to view the statue in their own environment. However, thanks to Google ditching the sweet treat naming conventions from Android 10 onwards, it’s all a bit dull.
Android 11 starts rolling out today! Incredibly proud of our team for everything they've done, especially with what 2020 has thrown at us.https://t.co/q6ppGqDWVC pic.twitter.com/vJCW7RDS5B
— Dave Burke (@davey_burke) September 8, 2020
Basically, summoning the Android 11 statue in AR, just puts a massive, 11 your environment with an Android logo poking its head out in various positions.
However, the statue, which can be explored on any Android device, does have a couple of Easter eggs. Walk around the back and you’ll see a list of Android 11 features. It also features a recipe to “develop your own RVC.”
RVC stands for red velvet cake. We learned that Android 11 did indeed have an internal, sweet treat-themed codename a few weeks ago. Google didn’t choose to make it the public face of the update, which is disappointing.
Related: Best Android phones
If you ever wanted a large, marble-and-granite statue of the Android 11 logo on your coffee table, you can just follow this link from your Android phone.
In my head, the only thing that could ever have been the android 11 statue is this pic.twitter.com/k1bVA191nX
— Tobias Sargeant (@folded) September 8, 2020
Google confirmed the release of Android 11 today, with existing Pixel phones first in line, while announcing pending availability for select others from OnePlus, Xiaomi, OPPO and realme. You can see all of the best Android 11 features here and learn about how to install and download Android 11 here.
Have you downloaded Android 11 for your handset yet? Share your first impressions of the update @trustedreviews on Twitter.
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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.