Android N, as we have known of it since Google had announced the next Android version at its I/O conference a few weeks ago finally has an official name – Nougat.
That has taken many by surprise considering it was Nutella that many had thought would identify the future Android iteration. Apart from Nutella, New York Cheesecake, and Neyyappam too figured in the list though obviously, none of those eventually made it. Google had been accepting several suggestions from fans worldwide to name the next Android, and the response has been enthusiastic so far.
Indians have been particularly vocal, and Neyyappam was among the most prominent names that figured in the list. A few other popular India sweet dishes too were put up which includes Nankhatai, Nariyal Laddoo, and Ney Payasam.
With a huge Android user base in India where the Google OS enjoys a predominant position reducing others such as iOS or Windows to having just a minuscule presence, many had been hoping an Indian sweet dish will go on to name the forthcoming Android. The fact that the current Google CEO, Sunder Pichai also hails from the region, particularly South India had further reinforced such belief though obviously, Google has thought otherwise.
Ironically, Sunder Pichai is known to have an intense dislike for sweet dishes, which could be another reason why none of the names from his home country impressed him. Admittedly, he might be least interested in the naming process too, leaving it to other to call the shots here.
Google meanwhile isn’t making it known why they chose Nougat over the rest or what led them to discard the others. For those not in the knowing, the Nougat is of Middle Eastern or Spanish origin. Stuff like whipped egg whites and roasted nuts mixed with sugar or honey goes into its making. It is of a sticky or chewy type but does taste good.
However, a few ground rules sure exist for naming an Android iteration. For instance, the name should be easy to pronounce and should be uniquely identifiable, negating chances of any confusion arising with its usage, either in the print media or otherwise. Plus, the dessert should also make for an excellent visual appeal when a statue of the same is put on display at the Google campus. Perhaps Nougat scores on all of these counts though Android’s Indian fans sure are a disappointed lot.
