Android ditches desserts as Q becomes 10 Published duration 22 August 2019

image copyright Google

The next version of the Android operating system (OS) will not be named after a dessert or sweet treat, ending a tradition that started in 2009.

Following the pattern, the name of the new version would have started with Q.

But Google said it had ditched the naming scheme because it made it difficult for consumers to know which version of the OS was the latest.

The new edition, which will be released later this year, will be called Android 10.

Previous versions of the mobile operating system have been nicknamed Jellybean, Kitkat and Lollipop.

"This naming tradition has become a fun part of the release each year," Google said in a blog.

"But we've heard feedback over the years that the names weren't always understood by everyone in the global community."

As examples, Google said L and R were "not distinguishable when spoken in some languages".

"As a global operating system, it's important that these names are clear and relatable for everyone in the world," it said.