Android version history explained

The version history of the Android mobile operating system began with the public release of its first beta on November 5, 2007. The first commercial version, Android 1.0, was released on September 23, 2008.
The operating system is developed by Google on a yearly cadence since at least 2011.[1] New major releases are announced at Google I/O in May while still in beta testing with the stable version usually released to the public between August and October.

Overview

See also: Android software development. The development of Android started in 2003 by Android, Inc., which was purchased by Google in 2005.[2] There were at least two internal releases of the software inside Google and the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) before the beta version was released.[3] [4] The beta was released on November 5, 2007,[5] [6] while the software development kit (SDK) was released on November 12, 2007.[7] Several public beta versions of the SDK were released.[8] These releases were done through software emulation as physical devices did not exist to test the operating system. Both the operating system itself and the SDK were released along with their source code, as free software under the Apache License.[9]

The first public release of Android 1.0 occurred with the release of the T-Mobile G1 (aka HTC Dream) in October 2008.[10] Android 1.0 and 1.1 were not released under specific code names. The code names "Astro Boy" and "Bender" were tagged internally on some of the early pre-1.0 milestone builds and were never used as the actual code names of the 1.0 and 1.1 releases of the OS.[11]

The project manager, Ryan Gibson, conceived using a confectionery-themed naming scheme for public releases, starting with Android 1.5 Cupcake. Google announced in August 2019 they were ending the confectionery theming scheme to use numerical ordering for future versions.[12] The first release under the numerical order format was Android 10, which was released in September 2019.

In 2017, Google announced that Google Play would begin to require apps to target a recent Android version.[13] Since then, a new major Android version has been released in the second half of each year, and apps must target it by August 31 of the following year for new apps, or November 1 for app updates.[14]

NameInternal codename[15] Version number(s)API levelRelease dateLatest security patch date[16] Latest Google Play Services version[17] (release date)
Android 1.01September 23, 2008rowspan="7"
Android 1.1Petit Four2February 9, 2009
Android CupcakeCupcake3April 27, 2009
Android DonutDonut4September 15, 2009
Android EclairEclair5October 27, 2009
6December 3, 2009
7January 11, 2010[18]
Android FroyoFroyo8May 20, 20103.2.25 (October 2014)
Android GingerbreadGingerbread9December 6, 201010.0.84 (November 2016)
10February 9, 2011
Android HoneycombHoneycomb11February 22, 2011
12May 10, 2011
13July 15, 2011
Android Ice Cream SandwichIce Cream Sandwich14October 18, 201114.8.49 (February 2019)
15December 16, 2011
Android Jelly BeanJelly Bean16July 9, 201221.33.56 (September 2021)
17November 13, 2012
18July 24, 2013
Android KitKatKey Lime Pie19October 31, 2013October 201723.30.13 (August 2023)
20June 25, 2014
Android LollipopLemon Meringue Pie21November 4, 2014[19] November 201724.16.16 (May 2024)
22March 2, 2015[20] March 2018
Android MarshmallowMacadamia Nut Cookie23October 2, 2015[21] August 2018
Android NougatNew York Cheesecake24August 22, 2016August 2019
25October 4, 2016October 2019
Android OreoOatmeal Cookie26August 21, 2017January 2021
27December 5, 2017October 2021
Android PiePistachio Ice Cream[22] 28August 6, 2018January 2022
Android 10Quince Tart[23] 29September 3, 2019February 2023
Android 11Red Velvet Cake30September 8, 2020February 2024
Android 12Snow Cone31October 4, 2021May 2024
Android 12LSnow Cone v232March 7, 2022
Android 13Tiramisu33August 15, 2022
Android 14Upside Down Cake[24] 34October 4, 2023
Android 15Vanilla Ice Cream[25] 35July 18, 2024July 2024[26] 24.23.35 (July 2024)

Version history

The following tables show the release dates and key features of all Android operating system updates to date, listed chronologically by their official application programming interface (API) levels.

Android 2.0 Eclair

Android 2.1 Eclair

Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread

Android 3.0 Honeycomb

Android 3.2 Honeycomb

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich

Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Android 4.3 Jelly Bean

Android 4.4 KitKat

Android 4.4W KitKat, with wearable extensions

Android 5.0 Lollipop

Android 5.1 Lollipop

Android 7.0 Nougat

Android 7.1 Nougat

Android 8.0 Oreo

Android 8.1 Oreo

Android 12

Android 12L

Android 15

Hardware requirements

The main hardware platform for Android is the 64-bit ARM architecture (i.e. ARMv8-A; previously the 32-bit ARMv7 architecture was supported and first ARMv5), with x86 and MIPS architectures also officially supported in later versions of Android. MIPS support has since been deprecated and support was removed in NDK r17.[27]

Android1.0 through 1.5 required a 2 megapixel camera with autofocus camera. This was relaxed to a fixed-focus camera with Android1.6.[28]

In 2012, Android devices with Intel processors began to appear, including phones[29] and tablets. While gaining support for 64-bit platforms, Android was first made to run on 64-bit x86 and then on ARM64.[30] [31] Since Android5.0 Lollipop, 64-bit variants of all platforms are supported in addition to the 32-bit variants.

Requirements for the minimum amount of RAM for devices running Android 7.1 depend on screen size and density and type of CPU, ranging from 816MB–1.8GB for 64-bit and 512MB–1.3GB for 32-bit meaning in practice 1GB for the most common type of display (while minimum for Android watch is 416MB).[32] The recommendation for Android4.4 is to have at least 512MB of RAM,[33] while for "low RAM" devices 340MB is the required minimum amount that does not include memory dedicated to various hardware components such as the baseband processor.[34] Android 4.4 requires a 32-bit ARMv7, MIPS or x86 architecture processor,[35] together with an OpenGL ES 2.0 compatible graphics processing unit (GPU).[36] Android supports OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.2 and since Android 7.0 Vulkan (and version 1.1 available for some devices[37]). Some applications may explicitly require a certain version of the OpenGL ES, and suitable GPU hardware is required to run such applications. In 2021, Android was ported to RISC-V.[38] In 2021, Qualcomm said it will provide a longer support period for its chipsets, starting with the Snapdragon 888, which will help extend Android update support for these devices. With this promise, devices using Qualcomm chipsets will have a total of three Android version upgrades and of four years of security updates.[39]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: January 30, 2023 . What's the Latest Version of Android? . How-To Geek . Joe . Fedewa. January 12, 2023 .
  2. Web site: Google Buys Android for Its Mobile Arsenal . Elgin . Ben . August 17, 2005 . Bloomberg Businessweek . Bloomberg . https://web.archive.org/web/20110227182929/http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2005/tc20050817_0949_tc024.htm . February 27, 2011 . February 20, 2012 . dead.
  3. Web site: A History of Pre-Cupcake Android Codenames . Android Police . Google+ . June 12, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130612205755/https://plus.google.com/%2BAndroidPolice/posts/MwDsoxDJ9qQ . June 12, 2013 . unfit. See post by Dianne Hackborn
  4. Web site: Dan Morrill . Google+ . January 2, 2013 . January 5, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130119193144/https://plus.google.com/112413860260589530492/posts/WrBh6fsChfH . January 19, 2013.
  5. Web site: Google Operating System . Google Launches Android, an Open Mobile Platform . November 5, 2007 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110930055836/http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2007/11/google-launches-android-open-mobile.html . September 30, 2011.
  6. Web site: . Live Google's gPhone Open handset alliance conference call . transcript . November 5, 2007 . February 8, 2013 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130207154205/http://gizmodo.com/#!318561/live-googles-gphone-open-handset-alliance-conference-call . February 7, 2013.
  7. Web site: MacWorld . Google releases Android SDK . November 12, 2007 . February 8, 2013 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100822061319/http://www.macworld.com/article/61005/2007/11/androidsdk.html . August 22, 2010.
  8. Web site: SDK Archives . March 7, 2015 . Android Developers . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150303224554/http://developer.android.com/sdk/older_releases.html . March 3, 2015.
  9. Web site: Paul . Ryan . November 6, 2007 . Why Google chose the Apache Software License over GPLv2 for Android . December 9, 2022 . Ars Technica . en-us . March 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170312063844/https://arstechnica.com/uncategorized/2007/11/why-google-chose-the-apache-software-license-over-gplv2/ . live .
  10. Web site: The history of Android: Android 1.0—introducing Google Apps and actual hardware . Ars Technica . June 16, 2014 . December 5, 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150310151326/http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/06/building-android-a-40000-word-history-of-googles-mobile-os/6/ . March 10, 2015.
  11. Web site: A History of Pre-Cupcake Android Codenames . September 17, 2012 . Android Police . December 5, 2019 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130825191904/http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/09/17/a-history-of-pre-cupcake-android-codenames/ . August 25, 2013.
  12. Web site: A pop of color and more: updates to Android's brand . Google . August 22, 2019 . August 22, 2019 . September 2, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190902060330/https://www.blog.google/products/android/evolving-android-brand/ . live .
  13. Web site: Improving app security and performance on Google Play for years to come . Edward . Cunningham . December 19, 2017. June 30, 2020 . Android Developers Blog.
  14. Web site: Target API level requirements for Google Play apps - Play Console Help . October 24, 2023 . Google Support . January 14, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134721/https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/11926878 . live .
  15. Web site: Codenames, Tags, and Build Numbers . June 1, 2022 . Android Open Source Project . Google . November 24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201124122032/https://source.android.com/setup/start/build-numbers . live .
  16. Web site: Android Security Bulletins . February 8, 2022 . Android Open Source Project . January 14, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134818/https://source.android.com/docs/security/bulletin . live .
  17. Web site: Google System Release Notes . 17 May 2024.
  18. Web site: Android 2.1 SDK . May 19, 2021 . January 14, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134715/https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2010/01/android-21-sdk.html . live .
  19. Web site: refs/tags/android-5.0.0_r1 – platform/system/core – Git at Google . android.googlesource.com . May 19, 2021 . January 14, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134715/https://android.googlesource.com/platform/system/core/+/refs/tags/android-5.0.0_r1 . live .
  20. Web site: refs/tags/android-5.1.0_r1 – platform/system/core – Git at Google . android.googlesource.com . May 19, 2021 . January 14, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134720/https://android.googlesource.com/platform/system/core/+/refs/tags/android-5.1.0_r1 . live .
  21. Web site: refs/tags/android-6.0.0_r1 – platform/system/core – Git at Google . android.googlesource.com . May 19, 2021 . January 14, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134721/https://android.googlesource.com/platform/system/core/+/refs/tags/android-6.0.0_r1 . live .
  22. Web site: Parker . Steven . Android P being referred to as 'Pistachio Ice Cream' internally at Google . Neowin . Neowin LLC . December 15, 2021 . January 14, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134820/https://www.neowin.net/news/android-p-being-referred-to-as-pistachio-ice-cream-internally-at-google/ . live .
  23. Web site: Gartenberg . Chaim . Even Android 11 is cake . The Verge . July 23, 2020 . Vox Media, LLC . July 27, 2021 . Burke revealed last year that Android Q had been internally known as "Quince Tart" . December 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221217230719/https://www.theverge.com/tldr/2020/7/23/21336209/android-11-r-red-velvet-cake-internal-code-name-dessert-google . live .
  24. News: Bradshaw . Kyle . Android 14 gets official internal codename… Upside Down Cake . October 5, 2022 . . April 22, 2022 . January 14, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114134822/https://9to5google.com/2022/04/22/android-14-gets-official-internal-codename-upside-down-cake/ . live .
  25. News: Cantisano . Timi . Android 15 dessert-themed codename revealed as 'Vanilla Ice Cream' . 27 April 2023 . . 3 March 2023 . en.
  26. Web site: Release notes . Android Developers . 18 June 2024 . 18 June 2024.
  27. Web site: ABI Management. Android Developers. en. August 17, 2018.
  28. Web site: Android Developers: Android Compatibility . June 10, 2021 . android.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20131017081434/http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/compatibility.html . October 17, 2013.
  29. Web site: Orange San Diego Intel Android mobile phone review . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/mobile-phone-reviews/9314362/Orange-San-Diego-Intel-Android-mobile-phone-review.html . January 11, 2022 . subscription . live . Warman . Matt . June 7, 2012 . The Daily Telegraph . June 19, 2013.
  30. Web site: Android Lollipop . November 24, 2014 . Android Developers . It's supported on ARM, x86, and MIPS architectures and is fully 64-bit compatible. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141125084524/http://developer.android.com/about/versions/lollipop.html . November 25, 2014.
  31. Web site: How to check which of the Processor, ARM, ARM64 or x86, powers your smartphone . April 16, 2016 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161127151623/http://techbeasts.com/how-to-check-which-of-the-processor-arm-arm64-or-x86-powers-your-smartphone . November 27, 2016.
  32. Web site: Android 7.1 Compatibility Definition . August 23, 2017.
  33. Web site: Android KitKat . Android Developers Portal . November 16, 2013 . android.com . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20131116015420/http://developer.android.com/about/versions/kitkat.html . November 16, 2013.
  34. Book: Android Compatibility Definition Document . November 27, 2013 . 4.4 . 33 . 7.6.1 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140304103236/http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/source.android.com/en/us/compatibility/android-cdd.pdf . March 4, 2014 . February 26, 2014.
  35. Web site: Google's Android 4.0 ported to x86 processors . Shah . Agam . December 1, 2011 . Computerworld . International Data Group . February 20, 2012 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20120124084934/http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9222323/Google_s_Android_4.0_ported_to_x86_processors . January 24, 2012.
  36. Web site: Android Developers: Graphics . November 15, 2015 . Android Developers . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141010074412/http://source.android.com/devices/graphics.html . October 10, 2014.
  37. News: Vulkan on Android . Vulkan 1.1 is available as a Developer Preview OTA for the NVIDIA SHIELD TV. . February 10, 2016 . NVIDIA Developer. March 21, 2018 . en.
  38. News: Android has been ported to a RISC-V board . . January 25, 2021 . January 21, 2021.
  39. Web site: Future Android phones may get 4 years of updates, thanks to Google and Qualcomm . Android Police . December 16, 2020.

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