Android Versions - A Complete Guide
Tags: android, flutter, mobile
Published: 2023-01-09 17:07:31

Android is a mobile operating system based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open source software, designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

The list of all Android versions till date with the features.

The posts contains:
- Android Version name
- API Levels
- Features
- Release Dates etc.

**Android 1.5 Cupcake**
Android 1.5 was released on April 27, 2009 and it is the first Android version to officially get a dessert nickname. Android 1.5 was known as Android Cupcake and it was developed by Google with API 3.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/mnitxolxvrf3zn5l386y.png)
**Android 1.6 Donut**
Android 1.6 Donut was released on September 15, 2009, just a few months after the launch of the Android 1.5 Cupcake and it came with the API 4. This was also called the fourth version of the Android and it introduced some distinctive features.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/1w9qt1w5j1zy5ys29nyr.png)
**Android 2.0 Eclair**
Android 2.0 Éclair came with an API level of 5 to 7 and it was released on October 26, 2009, again, a fourth major Android update to get released in 2009. The fifth version of Android aka Android 2.0 Éclair offered many features.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/omj8idkswhtxn180hltz.png)
**Android 2.2 Froyo**
Android 2.2 Froyo was made available to the public on May 20, 2010, and it came with API 8. This version was unveiled during Google I/O 2010 conference and it offered several optimizations when compared to Android 2.0 Eclairs.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/efhrh1yc0levl1s1bnk3.png)
**Android 2.3 Gingerbread**
Android 2.3 Gingerbread was also launched in 2010, to be exact on December 6, 2010, with API 9 to 10. This version introduced features like NFC support and VoIP calls. The Nexus S smartphone from Samsung was the first device to launch with this OS, which was also the first Nexus smartphone from Google that represented stock Android OS.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ay1ls30d450uszdgh6nb.png)
**Android 3.0 Honeycomb**
Android 3.0 Honeycomb was released on February 22, 2011 and it came with API 11 to 13. This version of Android was designed for large screen devices like tablets and the Motorola Xoom was the first product to ship with Android 3.0 Honeycomb.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/7pm5p2dlvdbxsfv8wjf9.png)
**Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich**
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was released on October 18, 2011, and it came with an API version from 14 to 15. This version was designed to offer a unified experience for both smartphones and tablets. It was also the first Android version to support Face Unlock on select devices.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/483ytqya4l0nxm3xamue.png)
**Android 4.1 Jelly Bean**
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean got official on July 9, 2012, and it came with an API of 16 to 18. Android Jelly Bean is also officially the 10th iteration of Android and it was developed to offer performance improvements along with smooth user experience when compared to Android 4.0.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/f3oaiiptl2am2jp0z8ki.png)
**Android 4.4 KitKat**
Android 4.4 KitKat got official on October 31, 2013 and it came with an API of 19 to 20. This version of Android was developed to offer an improved user experience on devices with limited hardware capabilities.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/o9wj0njcxzegu6h2ynif.png)
**Android 5.0 Lollipop**
Android 5.0 Lollipop offered a major design overhaul when compared to Android 4.4 KitKat and it was released on November 12, 2014 and it came with an API version 21 to 22. This version of Android offered a redesigned UI and it also replaced Dalvik with ART or Android Runtime to improve application performance and battery optimization.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/guhou5qomu6iv15rvz28.png)
**Android 6.0 Marshmallow**
Android 6.0 Marshmallow was released on October 5, 2015, based on API 23. It offered a new permission architecture to improve user-privacy and it also natively supported USB Type-C port and a physical fingerprint sensor.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/oyqip8n3k7leqvz47kec.png)
**Android 7.0 Nougat**
Android 7.0 Nougat with an API version of 24 to 25 was released on August 22, 2016. Nougat offered support for Vulkan API for better graphics rendering along with a new app notification format.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/7ismbpvohlrmup7pqchn.png)
**Android 8.0 Oreo**
Android 8.0 Oreo got launched on August 21, 2017, and this version was based API 26 to 27. Oreo was the first Android version to support Bluetooth 5.0 and wide color gamut.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/db1df9wcv13mgicf7s5w.png)
**Android 9 Pie**
Android 9 Pie got official on August 6, 2018, with API 28 and it offered a refreshed material design with a new style of navigation buttons. Till today, a lot of smartphones are still based on Android 9 Pie.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/k4haccvijill6ka02u1w.png)
**Android 10**
Android 10 was released on September 3, 2019, based on API 29. This version was known as Android Q at the time of development and this is the first modern Android OS that doesn’t have a dessert code name. It offered a complete full-screen user interface with a redesigned navigation system, which is a bit similar to the modern iPhones.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/5dfiufa58ulfv8fsh7ue.png)
**Android 11**
Android 11 was released on September 8, 2020 and this version was based on API 30. It comes with features like conversation notifications and this is also the first official Android version to offer built-in screen recorder.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/qbray7nahxl2lb64docc.png)
**Android 12**
Android 12 was released on September, 2021 and this version was based on API 31.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/r88r35vx3a1dpe9a8x1c.png)
**Android 13**
Android 13 was released on 15 August, 2022 and this version was based in API 33.
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/xiwlx97gvmfhdgi1xyly.png)

That’s it. Thank you for reading.