Google's new Android L, which has been rumored to mean Android Licorice, may end up to be true after all. Showcased way back in June at the company's IO Developer Conference, the upcoming OS has been a constant focus in the rumor mills and has caught great attention from people on a global scale.
There have been various reasons for the "Licorice" moniker. One of the clues comes from the birthday cake that Google posted on its 16th birthday. The cake was adorned with lollipops, which led many to believe that the "L" stood for "Lollipop." However, there were also licorice decorations on the cake.
Another hint came from a Google+ post from Giovanni Calabrese, the person responsible for designing the Android statues that decorate Google's lawn in Mountain View. "I never had a great liking for Licorice, but damn! There are some great flavors out there," Calabrese said.
It seemed like Calabrese has been traveling back and forth to Google as part of an upcoming project. The "licorice" hint was dropped again in a different post. "Handing out boxes of licorice at the boarding gate. #feellikeoprah #googlebound #googlelawnsculptures," posted Calabrese.
Google has a proven track record when it comes to concealing the name of an upcoming Android build. It did a great job concealing how the company had been in talks with Nestlé on using "KitKat" for the "K" iteration of Android. A number of people expected that Google would call it "Key Lime Pie."
Using the word "pie" as another clue, the next round of speculations ended up with people calling the next build Android "Lemon Meringue Pie." Others also predict the name would be "Lion" the candy bar.
More than just the "naming game" stirred by Android L's release, people are also expecting the OS's functionalities labeled "Material Design," an interface that is expected to renew user experience.
Android L has been integrated into the new Android Wear platform. Smart watch users will be able to unlock their smartphones without the need to enter a PIN.
Other enhancements include a redesigned notifications feature, improved battery life, 64-bit chips support and improved performance from Android Runtime (ART).
Android L is scheduled for release in November. As the date draws near, Google has been prepping for it by updating its official Google+ app with the Material Design UI.
