The official codename for Android 14 has been revealed, with the 2023 release being dubbed “Upside Down Cake” by Google. Every year, Google assigns its most recent major Android version a fun codename based on a dessert, in alphabetical order. These codenames used to be the official names of each Android version, including well-known brand tie-ins like Android KitKat and Android Oreo.
As you would anticipate, things became a little more complicated with Android Q, a letter for which there isn’t a clear dessert option. For that year, Google chose Queen’s Cake, however, the public Android version name has since been changed to a simple integer.
Internally, though, Google has continued to name each release’s desserts while it’s still in development. For example, Android 12 was dubbed “Snow Cone,” whereas Android 13 will be dubbed “Tiramisu” this autumn.
Android 14 Name UpsideDownCake
Google’s internal codename for Android 14 — what would have been “Android U” — has been exposed as “Upside Down Cake” in a new code modification submitted to the Android Open Source Project. This is written as a single word in the code, “UpsideDownCake.”
1. Android 1.5: Cupcake
2. Android 1.6: Donut
3. Android 2.0: Eclair
4. Android 2.2: Froyo
5. Android 2.3: Gingerbread
6. Android 3.0: Honeycomb
7. Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich
8. Android 4.1: Jelly Bean
9. Android 4.4: KitKat
10. Android 5.0: Lollipop
11. Android 6.0: Marshmallow
12. Android 7.0: Nougat
13. Android 8.0: Oreo
14. Android 9: Pie
15. Android 10: Quince Tart
16. Android 11: Red Velvet Cake
17. Android 12: Snow Cone
18. Android 12L: Snow Cone v2
19. Android 13: Tiramisu
20. Android 14: Upside Down Cake
If you’ve never had the pleasure of eating an upside-down cake, it’s a cake where the decorations are placed at the bottom of the pan and the cake batter is poured on top. The cake is subsequently cooked, then flipped over — so “upside-down” — to reattach the embellishments. Thick slices of pineapple and maraschino cherries are the most typical toppings for upside-down cakes, although virtually anything can be added for decoration and flavour.
Given how few desserts begin with the letter U, it’s no surprise that Google selected Upside Down Cake as the codename for Android 14. Regardless, it’s encouraging to have the codename verified, signalling that Android 14 work is well along.
To get real-time news alerts join the Technewsrooms Telegram group. You can also follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our Google News feed for updates.
