Android P is being referred to inside Google as Android Pistachio Ice Cream, according to reports.
Each year at about this time, rumours begin to swirl about what the next version of Google's Android operating system will be called.
Since 2009, Google has named its mobile operating system after a sweet treat. The naming pattern isn't random, however, as it also follows alphabetical order (Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, and so on) and with last year's release being Oreo, we can be confident that the coming version's codename will begin with "P".
But what could the P stand for? There's pecan pie, peanut butter-flavoured chocolate - even pear drops could get a look in (well, maybe that's just the UK). However, Google's upcoming Android release isn't going to be any of these, according to Bloomberg. Instead, it's being referred to internally as "Pistachio Ice Cream", the publication states. This name would fit both the alphabetical requirement and the dessert/confectionary requirement of Google's naming scheme and may at first glance seem as good a contender as any for the official name once Android P is released.
But there's a catch.
As Neowin has pointed out, what Google calls its new version of Android internally and what the actual name is at release are frequently two different things, especially in recent years. Android K was referred to as Key Lime Pie by Googlers but was called KitKat at launch, while Android O metamorphosed from Oatmeal Cookie to Oreo. Indeed, Bloomberg's own sources suggested the name could change before launch.
This doesn't mean that Android fans should necessarily discount Pistachio Ice Cream completely, but it's worth considering other options as well: Maybe it could be Pecan Pie after all? Or Peppermint? What about Petit Four - the internal codename for Android 1.1? With the new operating system not expected to launch until August this year, there's a whole six months of speculation to go.
13/02/2018: Android P may add support for iPhone X's notch Google may be planning to adopt the iPhone X's controversial 'notch' design with the next version of Android, according to new rumours.
Android P, set to launch at some point in 2018, will reportedly follow Apple's lead in allowing for a cut-out section at the top of the display to house camera lenses and other assorted sensors, Bloomberg reports.
While many devices launched last year featured edge-to-edge displays - with notable examples including the Samsung Galaxy S8 and OnePlus 5T - most opted to include the front-facing sensors in a thin, continuous bezel along the top of the device.
With Android P, the rumours suggest, manufacturers will be able to follow the same path as Apple, using only as much display space as necessary to house the sensors, while allowing the display to flow around it.
The inclusion of such capabilities as part of the Android OS indicates that Google does not expect the current trend of edge-to-edge smartphone displays to vanish anytime soon - an expectation that seems well-founded, given that more and more manufacturers are getting on board with the design style.
Along with notch support, Android will also be getting a visual overhaul, improved support for the Google Assistant and tweaks to improve power efficiency. Google is also said to be adding support for new form-factors including the persistently-rumoured foldable smartphone, multi-screen devices and flip phones.
