🕰️ Android Version Timeline & Code Names
| Version | Codename | Release Year | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 & 1.1 | — | 2008–2009 | Basic apps, browser, camera |
| 1.5 | Cupcake | 2009 | Keyboard, widgets, video recording |
| 1.6 | Donut | 2009 | Voice search, battery indicator |
| 2.0–2.1 | Eclair | 2009 | Live wallpapers, nav, multi-accounts |
| 2.2 | Froyo | 2010 | Flash, tethering, faster performance |
| 2.3 | Gingerbread | 2010 | NFC, front camera, UI polish |
| 3.0–3.2 | Honeycomb | 2011 | Tablet UI, virtual buttons |
| 4.0 | Ice Cream Sandwich | 2011 | Unified UI, swipe gestures |
| 4.1–4.3 | Jelly Bean | 2012–2013 | Google Now, smoother UI |
| 4.4 | KitKat | 2013 | "OK Google", immersive mode |
| 5.0–5.1 | Lollipop | 2014–2015 | Material Design, lock screen |
| 6.0 | Marshmallow | 2015 | Doze mode, app permissions |
| 7.0–7.1 | Nougat | 2016 | Split-screen, Vulkan API |
| 8.0–8.1 | Oreo | 2017 | PiP, notification channels |
| 9.0 | Pie | 2018 | Gesture nav, Wellbeing |
| 10 | Android 10 | 2019 | Dark mode, privacy |
| 11 | Android 11 | 2020 | Chat bubbles, permissions |
| 12 | Android 12 | 2021 | Material You, dashboard |
| 13 | Android 13 | 2022 | Photo picker, app languages |
| 14 | Android 14 | 2023 | Accessibility, battery |
| 15 | Vanilla Ice Cream | 2024 | AI features, foldable support |
| 16 | Baklava | 2025 | Ultra HDR, lossless audio |
🎨 Naming Convention
Versions 1.5 to 9.0 followed a dessert-themed alphabetical naming tradition. From Android 10 onward, numerical names became official, though internal codenames (like Vanilla Ice Cream or Baklava) still exist.
🧠Major Innovations Over Time
- Material Design for UI consistency and beauty
- AI & Machine Learning: Adaptive battery, smart replies
- Security Enhancements: Biometric login, scoped storage
- Performance Boosts: Faster boot times, app optimization