Android KitKat – Yes, Really!

The upcoming version of Android (4.4) will be called KitKat. Yes, it really is named after the popular candy bar that is made by Nestle. This is the first time a version of Android was named after a particular brand. Typically, they have used names that were more generalized.

We all know that the different versions of Android have been named after sweet foods that most people would consider to be a dessert. Android 1.5 was called Cupcake. This was followed by Donut (1.6), Eclair (2.0), Froyo (2.2), and Gingerbread (2.3).

Honeycomb (3.0) refers to the type of Honeycomb that is created by bees (and not Honeycomb cereal). It was followed by Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0), Jelly Bean (4.1), and now, KitKat.

It turns out that Google and Nestle are in a partnership. The Google Android announcement starts with a cute Android figure that has been made out of a KitKat bar.

The announcement notes that KitKat is giving people the chance to win a Nexis 7 or Google Play Credit. Next time you want a snack, visit a store and look for a package of KitKat that has an image of the iconic green Android figure who is trying to eat a KitKat bar. Somewhere inside the package, the label may say that you have won.