Google's Next Android Version Is Licorice, Not Lollipop

There has certainly been plenty of speculation about what Android L will eventually adopt as its full moniker, and the good news is that Google would seem to be dropping the sponsorship angle it took on board with Android KitKat, as the latest rumoured name isn't a brand.

We've gone back to straightforward sweets/desserts, with the previously mentioned Android Lollipop, Lemon Meringue, and now the new rumoured name – Licorice (or Liquorice, as we spell it). There has been mention of a Lion bar sponsorship possibility, but frankly, we're not buying that one (it's not nearly as big a name as KitKat in the sweet world).

Anyhow, Licorice is the name according to hints on Google+ by Giovanni Calabrese, the guy who is the creative brain behind Google's famous OS sculptures (you know, the ones on the lawn out in front of the Googleplex), and his initial post was spotted by Phone Arena.

Calabrese commented: "I never had a great liking for Licorice, but damn! There are some great flavors out there!!!"

Note the fact that Licorice has a capital L – could it be the case that he's just finished work on a giant liquorice (sorry, Licorice) statue?

He then followed this post up by stating that he will be at Google HQ the whole of this week, "from Monday to Thursday to work on the #googlelawnsculptures".

And then most recently, he posted: "'What's with all the boxes of licorice'?

#thingstheTSAsays #googlebound #googlelawnsculptures".

In other words, he has a load of boxes of liquorice (we can spell it that way, this time, as it's the actual sweet), which the Transportation Security Administration were quizzing him about.

So, that seems to be a pretty clear indication that Licorice is indeed the name Google has chosen – unless Giovanni is simply on a massive wind-up here, throwing people off the trail.

Lollipop would seem more neutral as a name – because Licorice is a love or hate thing in terms of its taste. Mind you, there doesn't seem to be much to potentially hate about Android L, from what we've seen so far, anyway.

It promises to offer slicker performance (with ART architecture and support for 64-bit chips), better battery life, tighter security (with automatic encryption by default – as with iOS 8), and an overhauled UI among other things.

We might find out for sure what Android L is called as soon as Wednesday, given that 15 October is the rumoured reveal date for Google's Nexus 6 which will feature the new OS (and indeed the Nexus 9 tablet may also be unveiled).