Android 16 codename breaks convention of the alphabetical order

The codename for the Android 16 Operating System (OS) update has leaked. The name suggests Google may have begun anew with its OS naming schemes.

Android 16 internal codename is “Baklava”

Google has always used codenames for the Android OS. The company prefers the names of desserts. Moreover, Google has stayed true to the serial order of the English alphabet until Android 15.

The first commercial release of the Android OS was internally called Cupcake. The subsequent mainstream version was codenamed Donut. Following the naming convention, the Android 14 was internally called Upside Down Cake. The Android 15 update is referred to as Vanilla Ice Cream.

Hence, for Android 16, Google should have opted for a name that starts with the alphabet “W”, such as Waffle Sundae or Whoopie Pie. However, Google has reportedly codenamed the Android 16 OS update Baklava.

It is important to note that Baklava is a popular puff pastry dessert. This means Google hasn’t given up on the naming of the Android OS updates after desserts.

Why has Google opted to call the Android 16 update ‘Baklava’?

Google is actively developing Android 16. The company sets the platform SDK version to the codename until the SDK is finalized.

Inside an AOSP version of Android, the min_sdk_version field is set to Baklava. The min_sdk_version field for Android 15 was set to VanillaIceCream. When Android 15 hit its first Platform Stability milestone, the Android version name was changed from “VanillaIceCream” to Android 15.

Interestingly, even a Google engineer inadvertently leaked the Android 16 codename. He set up an additional check to see if the build’s platform SDK codename matches Baklava.

It seems there could be a fundamental reason why Google hasn’t followed the traditional naming convention. Since Android 14, the OS’s development has undergone a significant and fundamental change. It is referred to as the “Trunk Stable” project.

The Android 14 QPR2 version had build IDs that started with the letter “A”, and this continues with the Android 15 QPR builds. This suggests Google has started a new method of Android OS development, and hence, the naming convention has restarted.