Google has announced that it will be changing the name of its mobile operating system to “Android” with a capital A.
Previously, it had been referred to by the lowercase version of the name. Also, the Bugdroid logo is being updated to a 3D version of its iconic robot to symbolise Android better and give it an increasingly dynamic and amusing feel.
The Android name and logo were designed to convey the platform’s commitment to openness, evolution, and community, as stated by the company. According to Google, the new Android logo was designed using the same Material Design system that was used for the company’s own logo.
Jason Fournier, Google’s Director of Android Consumer Brand Management, wrote in a blog post, “Each time we overhaul our branding, we evaluate not only changing needs, but also future goals. We know people today want more choice and autonomy, and we want our brand to be reflective of Android: something that gives people the freedom to create on their terms,”
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The New Android updates fit into the Google logo and universal understanding
Over the course of the past decade, Android has undergone a number of rebranding improvements that have brought it more in line with modern aesthetic and functional expectations. In 2019, Google modified its logo to be more user-friendly, and it also changed the naming standard for Android updates to make them more universally understandable.
When compared to Google’s logo, the new Android logo has “more weight to its appearance” because of the introduction of a capital “A” at the beginning of Android, which replaces the lowercase “a” of earlier versions. The font is also more rounded, like the Google logo.
“While we’ve added more curves and personality unique to Android, the new Android stylisation more closely mirrors Google’s logo and creates a balance between the two,” Fournier added.
In addition to a new logo, the bugdroid, the Android robot’s most recognisable feature, has been given a 3D overhaul to give it more depth and personality.
To make the green Android robot a versatile and trustworthy companion across channels, platforms, and settings, Google has modified the robot’s full-body appearance to ensure it can effortlessly shift between digital and real-world surroundings.
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Google announced that starting this year, the revised logo and 3D Bugdroid will start showing up on Android devices and other locations where the company’s brand is displayed. It is anticipated that the new Android branding will be making an appearance at the event that the firm is hosting on October 4 to launch the Pixel 8 series.
Google also announced in a blog post that it is adding new functionality to its Android apps, including the Assistant At a Glance widget, Image Q&A on Lookout, photo import for Google Wallet Pass, and support for Webex and Zoom audio conference calls in Android Auto.
Compared to the 2019 rebranding, in which Android’s major updates were no longer referred to by their respective dessert names like KitKat and Lollipop but by their own version numbers instead, this change is relatively minor. Google said that there were 3 billion Android devices in the world.