Sound familiar? Another year, another Android release, another dessert codename to speculate about. But here’s the kicker: everything we thought we knew about Google’s naming conventions has just been erased. After Android Authority confirmed that Android 16 breaks the alphabetic pattern with “Baklava,” the Android 17 codename situation becomes even more fascinating.
With the release of Android 16 on June 10, 2025 as “Baklava” instead of something starting with “W,” Google officially abandoned the dessert naming tradition that began in 2009 with Android 1.5 Cupcake. The alphabetic pattern held firm until Android 15 with “Vanilla Ice Cream,” but now we’re in uncharted territory.
This change signals something bigger than naming nostalgia: It reveals Google’s fundamental change to the way Android is built and distributed, with direct implications for when your phone receives updates.
Why Google abandoned the alphabet game
Let’s analyze it. The change is not random: it is tied to Google’s new development approach called “stable backbone project.” Android Authority reports that Android 14 QPR2 started using build IDs starting with “A” instead of “U” for Upside Down Cake, creating a cascading effect where Android 16 build IDs start with “B.”
This technical change forced Google to act, but the resulting alignment actually speeds up feature delivery, meaning users get meaningful updates faster instead of waiting for annual mega-releases. Instead of keeping the dessert alphabet simply out of tradition, they aligned the codenames with their new build identification system. Samsung Magazine notes that Google wants to release the core SDK in the second quarter of 2026, followed by additional features later this year, a pattern that calls for more systematic naming that works with developer workflows and OEM integration timelines.
PRO TIP: If you’re a developer tracking these changes, build ID prefixes are now more important than dessert alphabets for understanding version relationships and SDK dependencies.
What could be the mysterious codename of Android 17?
This is where it gets interesting. With Baklava breaking the “W” expectation for Android 16, the codename of Android 17 is anyone’s guess. Android Authority’s analysis suggests we can expect a major release of the SDK in Q2 2026 and a minor release in Q4 2026, but the codename remains under wraps.
The smart money might be on something that starts with “C,” which would create predictability for developers tracking SDK dependencies, but Google’s Baklava surprise suggests they’re prioritizing technical requirements over pattern expectations. Multiple sources indicate that Android 17 will likely be known publicly simply as “Android 17,” keeping the internal codenames truly in-house, just as Android 16 is codenamed Baklava but is marketed as Android 16.
With the first builds of Android 17 Developer Preview expected in November 2025, we won’t have to wait too long for the reveal. The timing also aligns with Google’s new quarterly release philosophy, where features matter more than maintaining sixteen-year-old naming traditions.
The bigger picture: Google’s new strategy for Android
The codename chaos actually illuminates Google’s strategic priorities: technical efficiency now trumps tradition, and this mentality extends to feature development itself. Interviews from MWC 2025 revealed that Google is prioritizing faster release cycles and better alignment with device makers’ timelines.
What this means for you: More frequent updates with meaningful features, rather than waiting for annual mega-releases. Android 17 promises major UI overhauls, improved security features, and desktop mode capabilities that could finally turn Android tablets into serious alternatives to laptops; think Samsung DeX, but built directly into the Android system rather than as a manufacturer overlay.
The arrival of Material 3 Expressive represents the next evolution of Material Design, delivering a more flexible and natural aesthetic with new icon shapes, blur effects, and updated color themes that respond to user context and usage patterns.
The codename chaos may seem trivial, but it indicates Google’s willingness to break with tradition when it best serves users. Whether Android 17 is called “Croissant,” “Cannoli,” or something completely unexpected, the focus is shifting from cute naming conventions to delivering features that matter.
Where do we go from here?
Having tracked Android development cycles for years, this timing change represents the most significant change since Google moved away from public dessert names with Android 10. The mystery of Android 17’s codename represents more than internal trivia: it’s a window into the evolution of Google’s development philosophy that prioritizes technical consistency over nostalgic patterns.
With the arrival of Material 3 Expressive and desktop mode becoming a reality, it looks like Android 17 will offer substance rather than nostalgia for names. The desktop windows feature, developed in partnership with Samsung, could transform the way we think about Android productivity, finally closing the gap between mobile and desktop computing without requiring proprietary solutions.
Developer previews launching in November 2025 mean we’ll soon know whether Google sticks to the new “BC” pattern or throws us another curveball. Either way, the days of predicting Android codenames based on dessert alphabets are officially over and, frankly, that’s probably better for everyone involved.
Don’t miss: Keep an eye out for AOSP commits and Google compatibility definition docs; That’s where these codename leaks usually appear first, just as teamb58 spotted references to Baklava in the initial Android 16 code.