The Android Saga: Unveiling the Rich Tapestry of Android's Evolution

The Original Robot (2007)

The Android operating system has been responsible for powering billions of phones, tablets, embedded devices, and various other hardware over the past 15 years. Throughout its existence, a recognizable green robot has been proudly serving as its mascot, inspiring the creation of numerous alternative designs and versions. Let's take a nostalgic journey and revisit the significant milestones of this iconic mascot's journey.

The Android mascot, a creation of Irina Blok, was designed during the development of Android in 2007 while she worked as a designer at Google. Blok mentioned to The New York Times in 2013 that she drew inspiration from the man and woman symbols commonly seen on restroom doors. The finalized design clearly reflects this inspiration with its arm and leg shapes resembling half-circles. However, in a later interview with Insider in 2015, Blok clarified that this was not the case and stated that her intention was to create something universally relatable and appealing to developers specifically.

Initially, the design wasn't officially shared with anyone at Google. Nonetheless, it gained significant popularity among the Android team and other Google employees. As Blok explained to Insider, it organically became a viral sensation. Suddenly, there was an abundance of various robot designs, including a kitten-like one and even a resemblance of Sarah Palin. They seemed to multiply throughout the company.

The logo was released as open source, free from the complications of trademarks and brand guidelines that often impact similar logos and mascots. Blok explains on her website that, much like the Linux Penguin, the logo played a significant role in establishing the identity of the new product and generating enthusiasm among engineers.

Presently, the Android robot (officially known as Google's Android robot) continues to be available under the Creative Commons license, allowing anyone to use it as long as proper attribution is given. However, the standard Android typeface logo and name remain trademarked by Google.

Android Market Icon (2008)

It didn't take much time for Google to incorporate the Android robot into their official communication, such as the Android.com website and developer presentations at Google I/O. The use of various versions of the robot was also adopted by manufacturers who were developing products with the new operating system. Even custom ROM developers embraced the robot as part of their branding.

In the early years of the Android platform, the most commonly seen variation of the Android robot was the icon used for the Android Market, which served as the original app store for Android devices. The final version of the icon featured a shopping bag with a white exterior and green interior, with the Android robot positioned sideways in the right corner. A previous version, seen in a blog post from 2008, displayed the robot in a darker shade of green.

In 2012, Google made the decision to rebrand the Android Market as "Google Play" as it had evolved into more than just an app store, becoming a digital media hub that offered music, books, and videos. As a result of this rebranding, the old Android icon was replaced with a triangle design that resembles a play icon, and this design choice remains in use today.

Androidify Robots (2011)

The Androidify app was launched by Google in 2011, enabling users to personalize their unique Android robot by customizing its attire, colors, and additional accessories. This app was highly entertaining and underwent several updates throughout the years.

Additionally, it played a significant role in Google's later marketing campaign for Android, known as "be together, not the same." This campaign highlighted the diverse range of Android devices available, positioning it as a compelling feature of the operating system.

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Unfortunately, updates for the Androidify app eventually ended, and the app was pulled from the Google Play Store in 2020.

Andy & Cid (2009 & 2012)

The CyanogenMod team decided to replace their original mascot, Andy, with a new and more unique character named Cid in 2012. They believed that Andy represented the early stages of the project and wanted a symbol that reflected their maturity and distinct identity as more than just a modified version of stock Android.

CyanogenMod development ceased in 2016 following the decision by Cyanogen Inc to close its infrastructure. As a result, the code was forked and transformed into LineageOS, a project that continues to exist today, albeit without a robot-themed mascot.

Gingerbread Android (2010)

The Gingerbread Android robot was introduced by Google in 2010 to coincide with the release of Android 2.3 Gingerbread. This special robot design resembled a gingerbread cookie, featuring a frosted face and sleeves, a green bowtie, and two red buttons. Additionally, Google erected a lawn statue of the Gingerbread Android robot, joining the iconic green robot statue and non-robot food statues like an eclair and cupcake.

Mini Collectible Robots (2010)

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The tradition of naming each new major version of Android after a sweet treat, designing a custom robot, and installing a statue version at Google's headquarters continued to thrive.

Andrew Bell, an artist and the founder of Dead Zebra Inc, introduced officially-licensed Android robot collectible figures in 2010. The initial series featured various designs including the iconic green robot, an energetic orange variant, a copper-like brown version, a business casual "worker" robot, and a vibrant yellow "octopoid" robot.

Since then, Dead Zebra has expanded its collection by collaborating with numerous designers, offering a diverse range of robot figures and other merchandise related to Google and Android. For those interested, the company's online store offers the latest selection of these collectible figures.

Bee Robot (2011)

In 2011, Google launched Android 3.0, specifically tailored for tablets. This version, known as "Android Honeycomb," saw the transformation of the Android robot into a bee. The bee robot sported a blue color, deviating from the traditional yellow hue, influenced by the blue accent tones found in Android's fresh Holo design language.

Dancing Robot (2011)

Regrettably, the bee robot at Google HQ did not receive the same recognition as the Gingerbread one in the form of a humanoid statue. Instead, the statue chosen to represent Android 3.0 entailed a colossal honeycomb structure adorned with an ordinary bee perched on top, with the conventional Android robot protruding from one of the tiles.

The Android robot made occasional appearances in the real world, often in the form of an inflatable costume. This captivating video showcases an individual dancing in an Android robot suit, right in front of a Sony booth in Taiwan, as they advertise the then-new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc. It is truly remarkable.

Ice Cream Sandwich Robot (2011)

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The same robot seems to have made an appearance at Google I/O 2011, once again showcasing its impressive dance moves. However, there were also a few less impressive impersonators wearing rigid costumes, such as the one at a Kyocera booth at CTIA 2011. Despite their efforts, they couldn't match the original robot's performance.

Google introduced a new robot version in 2011, coinciding with the launch of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The primary logo for the release featured a three-dimensional representation of the robot designed to resemble an ice cream sandwich. Additionally, a pixelated two-dimensional version of the robot was hidden as an easter egg within the Settings app.

This robot was also depicted in the form of a statue at Google HQ, greeting observers with a friendly, albeit immobile, wave. It's worth mentioning that the statue was not intended to be consumed.

Recovery Robot (2011)

The "Recovery Robot" is a variation of the Android robot that is familiar to those who have experience with custom ROMs and fixing malfunctioning phones. Unlike the original version, this particular robot does not have an official name.

Appearing on numerous Android devices within the bootloader and recovery partition, this content fragment signaled that users were tampering with the essential functions of the operating system. Any incorrect command had the potential to irreversibly disable the device.

When the device was inactive in the bootloader or recovery partition, a depiction of the robot with its body exposed would be visible, accompanied by a red warning icon. However, during an ongoing operation like installing a new recovery partition or erasing the system, the representation of the robot would transform into an animated version with moving gears and antennae.

The exact appearance of this variant cannot be determined with certainty, but it is believed to have emerged in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which was released in 2011. Previous versions such as Android 2.3 Gingerbread had different visual elements, but the recovery robot can be found in the source code for Android 4.0. Although Android 3.0 was not fully open-sourced, tutorials for the Motorola Xoom, the device that introduced Android 3.0, display the older artwork in the recovery screens.

The animation is absent in the Android 5.0 Lollipop and newer code, as evident in videos showcasing the Nexus 6 (which was released with version 5.0). The robot on the device remains visible while it is motionless, but when an action is in progress, the robot disappears. However, the static image can still be observed on modern Google Pixel devices and a handful of other smartphones and tablets.

Jelly Bean Robot (2012)

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean was released in 2012, accompanied by a new representative robot. The primary version featured a 3D rendering of the robot's head placed atop a jar of jelly beans, lacking arms or legs. Additionally, a 2D version of the robot could be found as an Easter egg in the Settings, resembling a red jellybean with a cheerful expression and the robot's antennae.

In line with previous releases, Google once again commissioned a statue to correspond with the latest Android version. This time, the statue showcased a transparent head to match the body and included legs. In an interview with the statue's designer published by TechCrunch, it was revealed that each jelly bean in the statue measured nine inches in length, with a total count exceeding 180 jelly beans.

KitKat Robot (2014)

The statue eventually became overheated, resulting in the partial melting and detachment of its head. Additionally, several jelly beans were stolen. Nevertheless, the statue was subsequently restored to its original magnificence.

In 2014, Google launched Android 4.4, popularly known as KitKat, which was a significant milestone as it marked the first-ever brand collaboration for a release name. To symbolize this, the Android robot was designed to resemble a delectable KitKat chocolate bar. Additionally, Google and Nestle collaborated on several captivating animated advertisements to promote the release.

To commemorate this groundbreaking release, Google erected a statue at its headquarters resembling the KitKat robot, mirroring the official render. However, unfortunately, the unveiling of the statue didn't proceed as planned.

Google released a video showcasing the event, just like they had done for all previous statue events. However, this particular video revealed a Google employee holding the yet-to-be-announced Nexus 5 phone. Although the video was eventually removed, it was reuploaded by others before it disappeared.

Oreo Robot (2017)

In 2017, the next release of Android was introduced as Android 8.0, commonly known as Oreo. This choice aligned with Android's codenaming strategy of using each successive letter of the alphabet, "O" being the next letter. Additionally, Google incorporated a superhero theme into the release, as depicted in a promotional video where the Oreo robot emerged in the sky and overshadowed the sun, coinciding with a solar eclipse on the same day.

Regrettably, this marked the end of Google's tradition of creating a unique robot design to accompany new Android releases. Subsequent versions, such as Android 9.0 Pie, displayed the regular Android robot holding a slice of pie across various blog posts and web pages.

Google's decision to revamp Android's brand once more in 2019 coincided with the introduction of Android 10. The traditional practice of assigning public names to Android versions based on desserts was abandoned by Google due to the lack of universal comprehension across the global community.

Body-less Robot (2019)

The company acknowledged that there may be confusion between the sounds of L and R in certain languages, and also recognized the issue regarding the difficulty in determining the latest version, both of which are valid concerns. Nevertheless, the company has persistently utilized dessert names within its internal system.

In addition, Google unveiled a fresh logo for Android, which officially integrated the robot, albeit only its head. The whereabouts of the robot's body remain unknown. While the robot's color remained green, the text was modified to black in order to enhance contrast when displayed against vibrant backgrounds.

The official blog post stated that the logo takes inspiration from the Android robot, the most recognizable non-human member of the community. The robot symbolizes the fun and curiosity at the core of Android and belongs to everyone. Now, it holds a special position in the logo. In 2023, the Android robot underwent another change. Though it still lacks a body, its design now features a more three-dimensional look. Additionally, the text logo now incorporates a capital "A" for Android.

In the future, it is hopeful that Google will reintroduce the complete Android robot, which has been notably absent in recent years. Additionally, the revival of the Androidify app, similar to Apple's Memoji system, would be highly appreciated.