Android's current wordmark, set in a futuristic typeface, has remained basically unchanged for as long as the platform has existed — but now, some 5 1/2 years after the T-Mobile G1's commercial release, it might be time for an update. Posted earlier this week by Twitter account @upleaks, the alleged 17-second boot animation for LG's upcoming G Watch features the usual stylings of a Google-influenced Android device — but the interesting part comes at the end, when an all-new Android word mark appears. It's entirely in lowercase and has a softer, friendlier feel than the robotic futurism of the current logo — the only questions are whether it's real, and if so, whether it'll be canon for all Android branding going forward.

During its brief ownership of Motorola, Google oversaw a revamp of that company's longstanding word mark to take on a rounder, more approachable look, so a facelift for Android's branding wouldn't be without precedent. The new Android logo — if it's real — bears a slight resemblance to the well-known branding of the Bloomingdale's department store chain. That's almost certainly unintentional, but regardless, subliminally associating Android in consumers' minds with a high-end retailer might not be a bad idea: Google is in the midst of launching Android Wear, a platform that could spawn a number of high-end smartwatches that wouldn't look out of place in a jewelers' showcase.

We've reached out to Google for comment.