Google has confirmed that the next iteration of Android will be called Marshmallow. Fittingly, a large statue of the Android mascot holding a marshmallow was unveiled at the company's Mountain View headquarters earlier today.
Google unveiled Android M during its annual I/O conference this past May. Despite sharing many of the operating system's goals and features, the search giant was mum on what the "M" stood for. Many believed it to be Macadamia but we now know that is not the case.
Following the first two versions of Android (Alpha and Beta), Google has nicknamed each Android release after a sugary treat. The complete list includes Cupcake, Donut, Éclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop and now, Marshmallow.
Today's announcement isn't all fluff (no pun intended) as the final Android 6.0 SDK is now available to download via the SDK Manager in Android Studio. Developer preview system images have also been updated for the Nexus 5, Nexus 6, Nexus 9 and Nexus Player to facilitate testing.
Google notes that although the Android 6.0 SDK is final, the aforementioned system images are still developer preview versions and thus, aren't yet intended for consumer use. Additional technical details for developers can be found on the Android Developers Blog.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow will launch to the public this fall with a focus on core improvements.
Image courtesy Geoff Mendal