Android 11 Internal Name Revealed: It’s “Red Velvet Cake”

It’s been almost a year since Google dropped the dessert-based naming scheme for the Android OS. As a result, the Android version released last year was simply called Android 10, unlike previous versions such as Android 9 Pie, Android 8 Oreo, or Android 4 Ice-Cream Sandwich.

However, Google is still using the dessert name to refer to Android versions internally. The upcoming Android 11 is called ‘Red Velvet Cake’ by engineers at Google. Android VP Dave Burke revealed the internal dessert name during the All About Android podcast (via Android Authority).

“If you were to ask an engineer on my team what are they working on, they would say RVC, and so RVC is Red Velvet Cake,” Dave said when asked if any internal Android 11 names were flying around.

He added that due to marketing decisions, you wouldn’t see Red Velvet Cake anywhere; instead, Google may choose to write Android R in place of the number.

Last year, many weren’t super welcoming when Google put an end to the long-going tradition, even though picking a dessert name every year was a task in itself.

Back then, Google said that the change reflects the maturing nature of the Android OS. For comparison, Android’s biggest competitor iOS also doesn’t carry any fancy names from the beginning.

Burke also talked about other important Android 11 developments. When asked about the standout feature of Android 11, he said right now, “where we are on the innovation curve for smartphones,” the initiatives are more multi-year than targeted at a single release.

For Android 11, it’s putting people first with features such as Bubbles and the conversation section in the Notification bar. Another primary focus is on the “control space” and improving the cross-device experience as more people now use multiple devices simultaneously.