Google has officially named its next Android version, and, of course, it’s another sweet treat. Some guessed the “M” in Android M would stand for Macadamia Nut Cookies; others thought it was going to be Milkshake, Moon Pie, Malt Ball, Mango Lassi, Mocha, Macaroon, Meringue, Mentos and M&M; but in the end Google named Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

Some may be wondering why Marshmallow. I say why not? It’s sweet and fluffy, good to eat straight out the bag or roasted and sandwiched between gooey chocolate squares and graham crackers. There’s no telling why Project Manager Ryan Gibson decided to name versions of Android based on desserts, but you have to admit, the unique spin on mobile operating system nomenclature keeps the world guessing with each iteration.

Let’s take a quick trip down Android’s sweet, sweet memory lane and see how the names and features have changed over the years.

Cupcake, Donut, Éclair and Froyo

The first version of Android was Alpha, but it was only released internally. The Beta version was released on November 5, 2007, and that date has been regarded as Android’s birthday ever since.

It wasn’t until Android 1.5 that the sweet nomenclature started and following an alphabetical order, the version was named Cupcake. Cupcake was released in April 2009 and featured support for Widgets, third-party virtual keyboards with text prediction and user dictionary for custom words, auto-pairing and stereo support for Bluetooth, copy and paste features in browser, animated screen transitions, user photos for Favorite in Contacts, and the ability to upload to YouTube and Picasa.

Android 1.6 or Donut was released in September 2009 and added features such as voice and text search, faster camera access, ability to select multiple photos for deletion, support for WVGA screen resolution, expanded gesture framework, speed improvements and more.

Donut was quickly followed by Android 2.0 Éclair, which featured expanded account sync; Bluetooth 2.1 support; new camera features, such as flash support, digital zoom, scene mode; ability to search all saved SMS and MMS messages; improved typing speed on virtual keyboard; refreshed browser UI; tap Contact photo to select what action to be performed; live wallpapers; improved Google Maps; optimized hardware speed and revamped UI; enhanced Calendar and more.

Android Froyo was released in May 2010 and included standout features such as USB tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot functionality, disable mobile network access, support for numeric and alphanumeric passwords, support for Bluetooth-enabled cars and desk docks, optimized speed, memory and performance, and more.

Android Gingerbread

Android 2.3.2 Gingerbread was released in December 2010, and, until now, there were phones being shipped in developing markets that run Gingerbread, like the Huawei Ascend Y220. This new version adds support for larger screen size, updated user interface, increased speed, native support for sensors such as gyroscopes and barometers, improved power management, support for multiple cameras on one device, support for Near Field Communication, new audio effects, faster and more intuitive text input, enhanced copy and paste functionality, improved power management and more.

Android Honeycomb

This release, Android 3.0 Honeycomb, is the first tablet-only version of Android. Released in February 2011, it featured holographic user interface, a System Bar that featured quick access to notifications, status and soft navigation buttons, Action Bar, simplified multitasking, introduction of multiple browser tabs instead of multiple windows, quick access to camera functions, hardware accelerations and more.

Android Ice Cream Sandwich

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was released in October 2011, and it is the first version of Android that supports small- and big-screen devices. It features the ability to access apps on locked screen, support for Face Unlock, improved copy and paste, automatic syncing of Chrome browser, shut down apps with a swipe from recent apps list, improved camera features, the addition of a built-in photo editor, Wi-Fi Direct and better voice integration and recognition. Also, folders are now easier to create with a drag-and-drop style, it offers pinch-to-zoom functionality on the Calendar app, the Holo interface was refined and a new “Robot” font was added.

Android Jelly Bean

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean features a smoother user interface, enhanced accessibility, bi-directional text and other language support, user-installable keyboard maps and expandable notifications. It has the ability to turn off notifications on an application-specific basis, shortcuts and widgets can be easily rearranged and resized, and it comes with Android Beam, an improved camera app and more.

Android KitKat

Android 4.4 KitKat was released in 2013, and it was the first version of Android that was brand-specific. Some of its standout features include a more immersive user interface, OK Google voice command, full-screen album and movie art, faster multitasking, contacts app prioritizes it to who you interact with the most, smarter Caller ID, a messaging hub, Emojis can now be used anywhere and more Cloud support.

Android Lollipop

Android 5.0 Lollipop was released in November 2014, and it features a new Material Design, more fluid animations, bolder color palette, revamped multitasking menu, new notifications control, battery saver mode and a new Factory Reset Protection. It also provides support for even smaller screens, like on smartwatches, syncing tasks across all Android devices and more.

Android Marshmallow

Android 6.0 Marshmallow features native fingerprint support, Doze power-saving mode, a new permissions model for apps, and Android Pay, to name a few of the new features. Unfortunately, like all other versions of Android, one of its main drawbacks is fragmentation. Unless you know how to root your Android device, you’re unlikely to get this version on your device unless you purchase a new one or your network or smartphone brand releases it.

Photo by Atomic Taco