Android 7: Google Executive Gives Strongest Hint Yet That Android N Will Be Called ‘Nutella’

Last month, Google asked its fans to vote on what to call the latest version of Android, which is due to be launched later this year. Last week, it said it had decided on a name and would be announcing it soon. Now, the man in charge of Android at Google has given the clearest indication yet that the new version of the operating system will be called Nutella.

Hiroshi Lockheimer, the senior vice president in charge of Android at the search giant, tweeted the following image late Tuesday:

The image shows Android apps including that of Twitter, Microsoft Word and the Google Play Store running on ChromeOS, a feature Google announced last month at its annual developer conference but which has yet to become available to users.

The image also shows that Lockheimer was searching for "Nutella" in his Chrome browser, which many have taken as an indication that this is the name Google will go for when it finally announces its choice. This is, in fact, Lockheimer's third tweet mentioning Nutella, though he says it could just be that he simply likes Nutella.

Further evidence was provided in a subsequent tweet that showed a list of sweet treats suggested by Twitter after Lockheimer had followed a mysterious account. However, anyone tapping the "Follow" button on the @NutellaUSA account will be given an identical set of suggested accounts.

Currently known only as Android N, the new software was launched as a developer preview earlier this year, and includes a number of significant updates including support for virtual reality, split-screen multitasking, a revamped notification shade and improved performance.

Google has released 14 major Android updates since it launched the software in 2008, with almost all getting named after a sweet treat in alphabetical order from Cupcake to last year's Marshmallow. To add to the confusion, Google has also given each version a numerical value, though these have risen erratically and it is unclear if Android N will see the software go from Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) to Android 6.1 or Android 7.0.