Android 17 Codenamed: Cinnamon Bun!

The Sweet Tradition Continues: Android 17’s Internal Codename Revealed

For many years, Google delighted users and developers alike by publicly associating its Android operating system releases with whimsical, dessert-themed codenames. This charming tradition, which began with the humble Android 1.5 “Cupcake,” fostered a sense of playful familiarity. However, in 2019, with the launch of Android 10, Google transitioned its public branding to simpler, globally accessible version numbers to enhance user understanding and minimize confusion. Despite this shift in public-facing identity, the internal culture within Google’s development teams has steadfastly maintained the cherished practice of assigning dessert-based codenames to new Android versions. This beloved internal tradition has recently entered a new chapter with the exciting revelation of the internal codename for the upcoming Android 17 release.

The Sweet Surprise: “Cinnamon Bun” for Android 17

In a delightful twist that defied many expectations and survey results, the internal codename for Android 17 has officially been unveiled as “Cinnamon Bun.” This intriguing news, initially reported by Android Authority, originates from reliable sources within Google. The choice of “Cinnamon Bun” marks a departure from the anticipated alphabetical progression that some had speculated, especially following Android 16’s internal codename, “Baklava.” Many had predicted that Android 17’s codename would commence with the letter “W,” continuing a perceived pattern, or perhaps another “C” dessert given the recent reset in build ID schemes. However, Google’s internal naming conventions have once again delivered a wonderfully sweet surprise.

Understanding the Evolution of Android Naming Conventions

The recent transformation in Google’s development model, shifting from a traditional branch-based system to a more streamlined “Trunk Stable” model, has subtly yet significantly influenced the assignment of internal codenames. In the older, branch-based system, new features were developed on separate branches before being merged back into the main stable branch. The newer “Trunk Stable” model, conversely, utilizes a single, continuously stable main code branch where all new features, fixes, and APIs are developed behind feature flags. This pivotal migration was successfully completed with Android 14 QPR2, which also coincided with a reset in the build ID scheme.

The “A,” “B,” and “C” Progression: A New Naming Cycle

This transition to a trunk-based development model, coupled with the crucial build ID reset, has directly impacted the codename assignments. With the migration finalized in 2024, build IDs began with the letter “A.” While Android 14 and 15 had already received their respective internal codenames (“Upside Down Cake” and “Vanilla Ice Cream”), the year 2025 ushered in a new beginning for the naming sequence. As the year progressed, build IDs started with “B,” leading to Android 16 being internally codenamed “Baklava.” Consequently, with the subsequent letter in the build ID sequence being “C,” Google developers sought a dessert name starting with “C.” Given that “Cupcake” (Android 1.5) had already been claimed, “Cinnamon Bun” emerged as the fitting choice for Android 17.

The Significance of Internal Codename Usage in Development

While “Cinnamon Bun” will not be a public-facing name for Android 17, it serves as an invaluable internal identifier for the development teams. Evidence of this internal codename, “CinnamonBun,” has been observed linked to API level 37.0, which accurately corresponds to Android 17. This internal designation is expected to appear in early beta releases within the “Android version” field before being officially replaced by “Android 17” once the operating system achieves platform stability. This practice is instrumental in allowing developers to efficiently track and reference specific development builds.

Developer Insights and Community Expectations for Android 17

The revelation of “Cinnamon Bun” as Android 17’s internal codename has ignited considerable interest and discussion within the vibrant developer community. Prior to the official leak, a survey indicated that “Cheesecake” was the most favored choice among users, garnering a substantial portion of the votes. Other popular suggestions included “Churro,” “Crème Brûlée,” “Caramel Custard,” and “Cherry Pie.” This clearly highlights the community’s deep engagement with the long-standing tradition of dessert-themed codenames. While Google’s internal choices may not always align perfectly with public preferences, the continuation of this cherished internal practice is widely appreciated and celebrated.

Anticipated Release Timeline for Android 17

Based on historical release patterns, the developer preview for Android 17 is anticipated to become available around November of the current year. Subsequent beta releases are expected in the early months of the following year. The official public launch of Android 17 is projected to occur around June 2026. It is important to note that these timelines are subject to change, as is typical with the dynamic nature of software development cycles. However, they provide a general expectation for when the new features and improvements will be accessible to the public.

The Evolving Landscape of Android Development Tools and Features

Beyond the intriguing internal codename, Google has been relentlessly enhancing the Android development ecosystem, as prominently showcased at Google I/O 2025. Key advancements include the seamless integration of Artificial Intelligence into development workflows, robust cross-platform development capabilities, and significant user interface improvements designed to elevate the developer and user experience.

AI Integration Revolutionizing Development Workflows

Google is increasingly embedding Artificial Intelligence, particularly through its powerful Gemini models, into Android development tools. This strategic integration aims to significantly boost developer productivity and enable the creation of more intelligent and responsive app experiences. Developers can leverage AI for a myriad of tasks, from code generation and debugging to optimizing app performance and personalizing user interactions.

Generative AI APIs via ML Kit: Empowering On-Device Intelligence

New ML Kit GenAI APIs, powered by the efficient Gemini Nano model, are being introduced to facilitate sophisticated on-device tasks. These include text summarization, grammar and style proofreading, and detailed image description generation. This groundbreaking capability allows developers to seamlessly integrate advanced AI functionalities directly into their applications, eliminating the need for cloud processing for these specific, resource-intensive functions and enhancing user privacy and responsiveness.

Enhanced AI Capabilities with Gemini Pro and Flash

For more complex and demanding AI use cases, such as high-fidelity image generation and advanced multimodal data processing, developers can harness the power of Gemini Pro and Gemini Flash through Firebase AI Logic. This provides access to Google’s most powerful AI models, enabling developers to build cutting-edge applications with unparalleled AI capabilities, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on mobile devices.

AI Sample App: Androidify Showcasing AI Potential

The popular Androidify app has been updated to serve as a practical and engaging demonstration of how these new AI APIs can be effectively utilized. It showcases the remarkable transformation of user selfies into unique and personalized Android robot avatars, highlighting the creative and accessible nature of AI integration in app development.. Learn more about Android Authority

AI-Powered Android Studio Features: Accelerating Development

Android Studio itself is undergoing significant AI-driven enhancements. Gemini is being integrated to provide intelligent assistance with Compose preview generation, empowering developers to create intricate UI previews using simple, natural language prompts. Furthermore, Gemini can dynamically transform UI elements within the Compose Preview using natural language commands, thereby dramatically accelerating development cycles and reducing the time spent on manual UI adjustments. The ability to attach images to Gemini for context-aware code generation and to reference project files via “@File” context in Gemini chats further streamlines the entire development process, making it more intuitive and efficient.

Streamlining UI Creation and Testing with AI

Google’s unwavering focus is on making UI development and testing processes more efficient and user-friendly. The Compose preview generation and transformation capabilities, powered by the advanced Gemini AI, stand as prime examples of this commitment, offering developers unprecedented tools for rapid UI iteration and refinement.

Automated Dependency Upgrades with Version Upgrade Agent

Within the integrated environment of Android Studio, the Version Upgrade Agent, intelligently powered by Gemini, automates the often tedious process of dependency upgrades. This sophisticated tool meticulously analyzes Android projects, parses library release notes, and proactively proposes updates directly from the `libs.versions` file, saving developers considerable time, effort, and potential errors.

Future-Proofing Apps and Enhancing User Experience

The ongoing updates and enhancements to the Android development ecosystem are strategically designed to help developers create future-ready applications and significantly improve the overall user experience across a diverse range of device form factors, ensuring apps are optimized for every user interaction.

Cross-Platform Development with Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP)

Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) continues to be a pivotal focus for Google, empowering developers to efficiently share core business logic between Android and iOS applications. This strategic approach significantly reduces development time, effort, and resource allocation, enabling faster iteration and broader reach.

New KMP Shared Module Template in Android Studio

A new KMP shared module template has been introduced within Android Studio, simplifying the creation and ongoing maintenance of shared business logic. Furthermore, essential Jetpack libraries, including the widely-used Room persistence library, now offer KMP support, allowing for seamless database logic reuse across multiple platforms.

Expanding App Experiences Across Diverse Form Factors

Google is actively enabling developers to build adaptive and responsive applications that function seamlessly across an extensive array of devices. This includes smartphones, innovative foldable devices, tablets, ChromeOS laptops, in-car infotainment systems, and emerging Extended Reality (XR) devices. This broad compatibility opens up significant opportunities to engage with a vast and growing ecosystem of over 500 million active devices worldwide.

Building Next-Generation App Experiences for Cars

Exciting new opportunities are being introduced for developers to create compelling in-car experiences. These include deep Gemini integrations for enhanced voice interaction, expanded support for more app categories such as Games and Video streaming, and significantly enhanced capabilities for media and communication apps through the Car App Library and new, specialized APIs. Improved testing tools are also being provided to facilitate the development and deployment of innovative and safe automotive applications.

Advancements in Android XR: Immersive Experiences

The Android XR platform is witnessing significant updates, including the release of Developer Preview 2 of the Android XR SDK and an expanding ecosystem of compatible devices. This includes new portable Android XR devices, empowering developers to create truly immersive and boundary-pushing experiences that redefine user interaction and engagement.

Wear OS 6: Expressive UI and Advanced Developer Tools

Wear OS 6 introduces “Material Expressive,” a groundbreaking new UI design language that offers highly personalized visuals and dynamic motion for enhanced user creativity and expression. Developers can leverage new Jetpack libraries, such as Wear Compose Material 3 and Wear ProtoLayout Material 3, to seamlessly implement these expressive UI components and sophisticated layouts, creating visually stunning and interactive watch faces and apps.

Jetpack Compose Enhancements: Continuous Improvement

The Jetpack Compose UI toolkit is receiving continuous updates and improvements to further enhance UI development efficiency and aesthetic quality. These updates include new components, refined styles, advanced motion capabilities, and extensive customization options for building beautiful, engaging, and highly performant user interfaces. The alpha BOM (Bill of Materials) offers experimental features like Pausable Composition, crucial updates to LazyLayout prefetching mechanisms, intuitive context menus, and a range of new, powerful modifiers for greater layout control.

Performance Optimizations in Compose: Under the Hood

Recent stable releases of Jetpack Compose have incorporated significant rewrites and optimizations for critical subsystems such as semantics, focus management, and text rendering. These under-the-hood improvements lead to substantially enhanced app performance and smoother user experiences, often without requiring extensive code modifications from developers, ensuring a seamless transition to updated versions.

The Future of Android Development: AI, Cross-Platform, and Innovation

The groundbreaking advancements announced at Google I/O 2025 underscore Google’s unwavering commitment to making Android development more efficient, intelligent, and adaptable than ever before. By strategically integrating cutting-edge AI technologies, fostering robust cross-platform development practices, and continuously refining developer tools, Google aims to empower developers worldwide to create the next generation of compelling, innovative, and user-centric mobile experiences. The internal codename “Cinnamon Bun” for Android 17, while a subtle detail in the grand scheme, serves as a delightful testament to the enduring playful spirit that permeates Google’s development culture, even as the Android platform itself continues its rapid and exciting evolution.