The version history of the Android mobile operating system began with the public release of its first beta on November 5, 2007. The first commercial version, Android 1.0, was released on September 23, 2008. The operating system is developed by Google on a yearly cycle since at least 2011.[1] New major releases are announced at Google I/O along with its first public beta to supported Google Pixel devices. The stable version is then released later in the year.
See also: Android software development |
The development of Android started in 2003 by Android, Inc., which was purchased by Google in 2005.[2] There were at least two internal releases of the software inside Google and the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) before the beta version was released.[3][4] The beta was released on November 5, 2007,[5][6] while the software development kit (SDK) was released on November 12, 2007.[7] Several public beta versions of the SDK were released.[8] These releases were done through software emulation as physical devices did not exist to test the operating system. Both the operating system itself and the SDK were released along with their source code, as free software under the Apache License.[9]
The first public release of Android 1.0 occurred with the release of the T-Mobile G1 (aka HTC Dream) in October 2008.[10] Android 1.0 and 1.1 were not released under specific code names.[11] The code names "Astro Boy" and "Bender" were tagged internally on some of the early pre-1.0 milestone builds and were never used as the actual code names of the 1.0 and 1.1 releases of the OS.[12]
The project manager, Ryan Gibson, conceived using a confectionery-themed naming scheme for public releases, starting with Android 1.5 Cupcake. Google announced in August 2019 they were ending the confectionery theming scheme to use numerical ordering for future versions.[13] The first release under the numerical order format was Android 10, which was released September 2019.
In 2017, Google announced that Google Play would begin to require apps to target a recent Android version.[14] Since then, a new major Android version has been released in the second half of each year, and apps must target it by August 1 of the following year for new apps, or November 1 for app updates.[15]
Name | Internal codename[11] | Version number(s) | API level |
Initial stable release date |
Latest security patch date[16] | Latest Google Play Services version[17] (release date) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Android 1.0 | — | 1.0 | 1 | September 23, 2008 | — | — |
Android 1.1 | Petit Four | 1.1 | 2 | February 9, 2009 | ||
Android Cupcake | Cupcake | 1.5 | 3 | April 27, 2009 | ||
Android Donut | Donut | 1.6 | 4 | September 15, 2009 | ||
Android Eclair | Eclair | 2.0 | 5 | October 27, 2009 | ||
2.0.1 | 6 | December 3, 2009 | ||||
2.1 | 7 | January 11, 2010[18] | ||||
Android Froyo | Froyo | 2.2 – 2.2.3 | 8 | May 20, 2010 | 3.2.25 (October 2014) | |
Android Gingerbread | Gingerbread | 2.3 – 2.3.2 | 9 | December 6, 2010 | 10.0.84 (November 2016) | |
2.3.3 – 2.3.7 | 10 | February 9, 2011 | ||||
Android Honeycomb | Honeycomb | 3.0 | 11 | February 22, 2011 | ||
3.1 | 12 | May 10, 2011 | ||||
3.2 – 3.2.6 | 13 | July 15, 2011 | ||||
Android Ice Cream Sandwich | Ice Cream Sandwich | 4.0 – 4.0.2 | 14 | October 18, 2011 | 14.8.49 (February 2019) | |
4.0.3 – 4.0.4 | 15 | December 16, 2011 | ||||
Android Jelly Bean | Jelly Bean | 4.1 – 4.1.2 | 16 | July 9, 2012 | 21.33.56 (September 2021) | |
4.2 – 4.2.2 | 17 | November 13, 2012 | ||||
4.3 – 4.3.1 | 18 | July 24, 2013 | ||||
Android KitKat | Key Lime Pie | 4.4 – 4.4.4 | 19 | October 31, 2013 | October 2017 | 23.04.13 (February 2023) |
4.4W – 4.4W.2 | 20 | June 25, 2014 | ? | |||
Android Lollipop | Lemon Meringue Pie | 5.0 – 5.0.2 | 21 | November 4, 2014[19] | November 2017 | |
5.1 – 5.1.1 | 22 | March 2, 2015[20] | March 2018 | |||
Android Marshmallow | Macadamia Nut Cookie | 6.0 – 6.0.1 | 23 | October 2, 2015[21] | August 2018 | 23.07.55 (March 2023) |
Android Nougat | New York Cheesecake | 7.0 | 24 | August 22, 2016 | August 2019 | |
7.1 – 7.1.2 | 25 | October 4, 2016 | October 2019 | |||
Android Oreo | Oatmeal Cookie | 8.0 | 26 | August 21, 2017 | January 2021 | |
8.1 | 27 | December 5, 2017 | October 2021 | |||
Android Pie | Pistachio Ice Cream[22] | 9 | 28 | August 6, 2018 | January 2022 | |
Android 10 | Quince Tart[23] | 10 | 29 | September 3, 2019 | February 2023 | |
Android 11 | Red Velvet Cake[23] | 11 | 30 | September 8, 2020 | March 2023 | |
Android 12 | Snow Cone | 12 | 31 | October 4, 2021 | ||
Android 12L | Snow Cone v2 | [a] | 12.132 | March 7, 2022 | ||
Android 13 | Tiramisu[24] | 13 | 33 | August 15, 2022 | ||
Android 14 | Upside Down Cake[25] | [b] | 1434 | March 8, 2023[b] | ||
Android 15 | Vanilla Ice Cream[26] | 15 | 35 | Q3 2024 | — | — |
Legend: Old version Older version, still maintained Latest version Latest preview version Future release |
The following tables show the release dates and key features of all Android operating system updates to date, listed chronologically by their official application programming interface (API) levels.
Android 1.0 (API 1) | ||
---|---|---|
Android 1.0, the first commercial version of the software, was released on September 23, 2008.[29] The first commercially available Android device was the HTC Dream.[30] Android 1.0 incorporated the following features: | ||
Version | Release date | Features |
1.0 | September 23, 2008 |
|
Android 1.1 (API 2) | ||
---|---|---|
On February 9, 2009, the Android 1.1 update was released, initially for the HTC Dream only. Android 1.1 was known as "Petit Four" internally, though this name was not used officially.[12][37] The update resolved bugs, changed the Android API and added a number of features:[38] | ||
Version | Release date | Features |
1.1 | February 9, 2009 |
|
Android 1.5 Cupcake (API 3) | |||
---|---|---|---|
On April 27, 2009, the Android 1.5 update was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.27.[39][40] This was the first release to officially use a codename based on a dessert item ("Cupcake"), a theme used for all releases until Android Pie, with Android 10 using a number-only system. The update included several new features and UI amendments:[41] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
1.5 | April 27, 2009[39] |
| Android 1.5 home screen |
Android 1.6 Donut (API 4) | |||
---|---|---|---|
On September 15, 2009, Android 1.6 – dubbed Donut – was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.29.[44][45][46] Included in the update were numerous new features:[44] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
1.6 | September 15, 2009[45] |
| Android 1.6 home screen |
Android 2.0 Eclair (API 5) | |||
---|---|---|---|
On October 27, 2009, the Android 2.0 SDK was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.29 and codenamed Eclair.[47] Changes include the ones listed below.[48] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
2.0 | October 27, 2009[49] |
|
Android 2.0.1 Eclair (API 6) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
2.0.1 | December 3, 2009[53] |
|
Android 2.1 Eclair (API 7) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
2.1 | January 11, 2010[54][18] |
| Android 2.1 home screen |
Android 2.2 Froyo (API 8) | |||
---|---|---|---|
On May 20, 2010, the SDK for Android 2.2 (Froyo, short for frozen yogurt) was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.32.[55] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
2.2 | May 20, 2010 |
| Android 2.2 home screen |
2.2.1 | September 27, 2010[63] |
| |
2.2.2 | January 21, 2011[64] |
| |
2.2.3 | November 21, 2011[66] |
|
Android 2.3 Gingerbread (API 9) | |||
---|---|---|---|
On December 6, 2010, the Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) SDK was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.35.[67][68] Changes included:[67] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
2.3 | December 6, 2010[68] |
| Android 2.3 home screen |
2.3.1 | December 22, 2010[71] |
| |
2.3.2 | January 21, 2011[72] |
|
Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread (API 10) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
2.3.3 | February 9, 2011[73] |
| |
2.3.4 | April 28, 2011[75] |
| |
2.3.5 | July 25, 2011[80] |
| |
2.3.6 | September 2, 2011[82] |
| |
2.3.7 | September 21, 2011 |
|
Android 3.0 Honeycomb (API 11) | |||
---|---|---|---|
On February 22, 2011, the Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) SDK – the first tablet-only Android update – was released, based on Linux kernel 2.6.36.[85][86][87][88] The first device featuring this version, the Motorola Xoom tablet, was released on February 24, 2011.[89] The update's features included:[85] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
3.0 | February 22, 2011[87] |
| Android 3.0 home screen |
Android 3.1 Honeycomb (API 12) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
3.1 | May 10, 2011[93] |
|
Android 3.2 Honeycomb (API 13) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
3.2 | July 15, 2011[96] |
| |
3.2.1 | September 20, 2011 |
| |
3.2.2 | September 30, 2011 |
| |
3.2.4 | December 15, 2011 |
| |
3.2.6 | February 15, 2012 |
|
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (API 14) | |||
---|---|---|---|
The SDK for Android 4.0.1 (Ice Cream Sandwich), based on Linux kernel 3.0.1,[98] was publicly released on October 19, 2011.[99] Google's Gabe Cohen stated that Android 4.0 was "theoretically compatible" with any Android 2.3.x device in production at that time.[100] The source code for Android 4.0 became available on November 14, 2011.[101] Ice Cream Sandwich was the last version to officially support Adobe Systems' Flash player.[102] The update introduced numerous new features:[103][104][105] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
4.0 | October 18, 2011[103] |
| Android 4.0 home screen |
4.0.1 | October 19, 2011 |
| |
4.0.2 | November 28, 2011 |
|
Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich (API 15) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
4.0.3 | December 16, 2011[111] |
| |
4.0.4 | March 28, 2012 |
|
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean (API 16) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Google announced Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) at the Google I/O conference on June 27, 2012. Based on Linux kernel 3.0.31, Jelly Bean was an incremental update with the primary aim of improving the functionality and performance of the user interface. The performance improvement involved "Project Butter", which uses touch anticipation, triple buffering, extended vsync timing and a fixed frame rate of 60 fps to create a fluid and "buttery-smooth" UI.[114] Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was released to the Android Open Source Project on July 9, 2012,[115] and the Nexus 7 tablet, the first device to run Jelly Bean, was released on July 13, 2012. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
4.1 | July 9, 2012 |
| Android 4.1 home screen |
4.1.1 | July 9, 2012[119] |
| |
4.1.2 | October 9, 2012[120] |
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean (API 17) | ||
---|---|---|
Google was expected to announce Jelly Bean 4.2 at an event in New York City on October 29, 2012, but the event was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy.[123] Instead of rescheduling the live event, Google announced the new version with a press release, under the slogan "A new flavor of Jelly Bean". Jelly Bean 4.2 was based on Linux kernel 3.4.0, and debuted on Google's Nexus 4 and Nexus 10, which were released on November 13, 2012.[124][125] | ||
Version | Release date | Features |
4.2 | November 13, 2012[126] |
|
4.2.1 | November 27, 2012[131][132] |
|
4.2.2 | February 11, 2013[134] |
|
Android 4.3 Jelly Bean (API 18) | ||
---|---|---|
Google released Jelly Bean 4.3 under the slogan "An even sweeter Jelly Bean" on July 24, 2013, during an event in San Francisco called "Breakfast with Sundar Pichai". Most Nexus devices received the update within a week, although the second-generation Nexus 7 tablet was the first device to officially ship with it.[136] A minor bug fix update was released on August 22, 2013.[137] | ||
Version | Release date | Features |
4.3 | July 24, 2013[138] |
|
4.3.1 | October 3, 2013[147] |
|
Android 4.4 KitKat (API 19) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Google announced Android 4.4 KitKat on September 3, 2013. Although initially under the "Key Lime Pie" ("KLP") codename, the name was changed because "very few people actually know the taste of a key lime pie."[149] Some technology bloggers also expected the "Key Lime Pie" release to be Android 5.[150] KitKat debuted on Google's Nexus 5 on October 31, 2013, and was optimized to run on a greater range of devices than earlier Android versions, having 512 MB of RAM as a recommended minimum; those improvements were known as "Project Svelte" internally at Google.[151] The required minimum amount of RAM available to Android is 340 MB, and all devices with less than 512 MB of RAM must report themselves as "low RAM" devices.[152] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
4.4 | October 31, 2013[153][154] |
| Android 4.4 home screen |
4.4.1 | December 5, 2013[168][169] |
| |
4.4.2 | December 9, 2013[170] |
| |
4.4.3 | June 2, 2014[172][173] |
| |
4.4.4 | June 19, 2014[176] |
|
Android 4.4W KitKat, with wearable extensions (API 20) | ||
---|---|---|
On June 24, 2014, a version of Android KitKat exclusive to Android Wear devices was released. | ||
Version | Release date | Features |
4.4W[178] | June 25, 2014[179] |
|
4.4W.1 | September 6, 2014[180] |
|
4.4W.2 | October 21, 2014[181] |
|
Android 5.0 Lollipop (API 21) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android 5.0 "Lollipop" was unveiled under the codename "Android L" on June 25, 2014, during Google I/O. It became available as an official over-the-air (OTA) update on November 12, 2014, for select devices that run distributions of Android serviced by Google, including Nexus and Google Play edition devices. Its source code was made available on November 3, 2014.[182][183]
Lollipop features a redesigned user interface built around a responsive design language referred to as "material design". Other changes include improvements to the notifications, which can be accessed from the lockscreen and displayed within applications as top-of-the-screen banners. Furthermore, Google made internal changes to the platform, with the Android Runtime (ART) officially replacing Dalvik for improved application performance, and with changes intended to improve and optimize battery usage, known internally as Project Volta.[184][185][186][187] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
5.0[188] | November 4, 2014[19] |
| Android 5.0 home screen |
5.0.1 | December 2, 2014[202] |
| |
5.0.2 | December 19, 2014[27] |
|
Android 5.1 Lollipop (API 22) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
5.1 | March 2, 2015[20] |
| |
5.1.1 | April 20, 2015[207][208] |
|
Android 6.0 Marshmallow (API 23) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android 6.0 "Marshmallow" was unveiled under the codename "Android M" during Google I/O on May 28, 2015, for the Nexus 5 and Nexus 6 phones, Nexus 9 tablet, and Nexus Player set-top box, under the build number MPZ44Q.[210] The third developer preview (MPA44G) was released on August 17, 2015, for the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player devices,[211] and was updated to MPA44I that brought fixes related to Android for Work profiles.[212] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
6.0 | September 29, 2015[21][213] |
| Android 6.0 home screen |
6.0.1 | December 7, 2015[231] |
|
Android 7.0 Nougat (API 24) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android "Nougat" (codenamed N in-development) is the seventh major release of the Android operating system. It was first released as a developer preview on March 9, 2016, with factory images for supported Nexus devices, as well as with the new "Android Beta Program" which allows supported devices to be upgraded directly to the Android Nougat beta via an over-the-air update. The final release was on August 22, 2016. The final preview build was released on July 18, 2016,[233] with the build number NPD90G. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
7.0 | August 22, 2016[234] |
| Android 7.0 home screen |
Android 7.1 Nougat (API 25) | |||
---|---|---|---|
On October 19, 2016, Google released Android 7.1.1 as a developer preview for the Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P and the Pixel C. A second preview became available on November 22, 2016, before the final version was released to the public on December 5, 2016. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
7.1 | October 4, 2016[242] |
| Android 7.1 home screen |
7.1.1[244] | December 1, 2016[245] |
| |
7.1.2[246][247] | April 2, 2017[248] |
|
Android 8.0 Oreo (API 26) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android Oreo is the eighth major release of the Android operating system. It was first released as a developer preview, codenamed Android O, on March 21, 2017, with factory images for supported Nexus and Pixel devices. The final developer preview was released on July 24, 2017, with the stable version released in August 2017. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
8.0[249] | August 21, 2017 |
| Android 8.0 home screen |
Android 8.1 Oreo (API 27) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android 8.1 Oreo is the sixteenth minor release of the Android operating system. It was first released as a developer preview on October 25, 2017, with factory images for current Nexus and Pixel devices. A second developer preview was made available on November 27, 2017, for Nexus and Pixel devices, before the stable version was released on December 5, 2017. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
8.1[251][252] | December 5, 2017[253][254] |
| Android 8.1 home screen |
Android 9 Pie (API 28) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android Pie is the ninth major version of the Android operating system. It was first announced by Google on March 7, 2018, and the first developer preview was released on the same day. The second preview, considered beta quality, was released on May 8, 2018. The final beta of Android Pie (fifth preview, also considered as a "Release Candidate") was released on July 25, 2018. The first official release was released on August 6, 2018. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
9 | August 6, 2018 |
| Android 9 home screen |
Android 10 (API 29) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android 10 is the tenth major version of the Android operating system. The stable version of Android 10 was released on September 3, 2019. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
10 | September 3, 2019 |
| Android 10 home screen |
Android 11 (API 30) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android 11 is the eleventh major version of the Android operating system. It was first announced by Google on February 19, 2020, and the first developer preview released on the same day.[276][277]
The launch of Android 11 Beta was postponed from June 3, 2020, to June 10, 2020.[278] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
11 | September 8, 2020 |
| Android 11 home screen |
Android 12 (API 31) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android 12 is the twelfth major version of the Android operating system. It was first announced by Google on February 18, 2021, and the first developer preview was released on the same day.[284][285] | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
12 | October 4, 2021 |
| Android 12 home screen with themed icons and widgets |
Android 12L (API 32) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android 12L[c] is an interim release for Android 12 that includes design tweaks for larger displays and minor stability changes to the operating system. It was announced on October 2021 alongside Beta releases with a stable version launching on March 7, 2022. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
12L | March 7, 2022 |
Improvements specific for foldable phones, tablets, desktop-sized screens and Chromebooks, and modifications to the user interface to tailor it to larger screens.[297] |
Android 13 (API 33) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Android 13 is the thirteenth major version of the Android operating system. | |||
Version | Release date | Features | Image(s) |
13 | August 15, 2022 |
| Android 13 home screen with themed icons and widgets |
"Android 14" redirects here. For the Dragon Ball Z character, see Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13. |
Google announced Android 14 on February 8, 2023, with the first Developer Preview releasing on the same day. It will block the installation of old apps.[307]
See also: Android (operating system) § Hardware |
The main hardware platform for Android is the 64-bit ARM architecture (i.e. ARMv8-A; previously the 32-bit ARMv7 architecture was supported and first ARMv5), with x86[d] and MIPS[e] architectures also officially supported in later versions of Android, but MIPS support has since been deprecated and support was removed in NDK r17.[310]
Android 1.0 through 1.5 required a 2 megapixel camera with autofocus camera. This was relaxed to a fixed-focus camera with Android 1.6.[311]
In 2012, Android devices with Intel processors began to appear, including phones[312] and tablets. While gaining support for 64-bit platforms, Android was first made to run on 64-bit x86 and then on ARM64.[313][314] Since Android 5.0 Lollipop, 64-bit variants of all platforms are supported in addition to the 32-bit variants.
Requirements for the minimum amount of RAM for devices running Android 7.1 depend on screen size and density and type of CPU, ranging from 816 MB–1.8 GB for 64-bit and 512 MB–1.3 GB for 32-bit meaning in practice 1 GB for the most common type of display (while minimum for Android watch is 416 MB).[315][f] The recommendation for Android 4.4 is to have at least 512 MB of RAM,[316] while for "low RAM" devices 340 MB is the required minimum amount that does not include memory dedicated to various hardware components such as the baseband processor.[152] Android 4.4 requires a 32-bit ARMv7, MIPS or x86 architecture processor,[317] together with an OpenGL ES 2.0 compatible graphics processing unit (GPU).[318] Android supports OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.2 and since Android 7.0 Vulkan (and version 1.1 available for some devices[319]). Some applications may explicitly require a certain version of the OpenGL ES, and suitable GPU hardware is required to run such applications.[318] In 2021, Android was ported to RISC-V.[320] In 2021, Qualcomm said it will support more updates.[321]