Google Chooses Kit Kat Chocolate Bar
Over Key Lime Pie
By Associated Press | More Articles
September 3, 2013 | Comments (0)
Google is naming its latest Android
mobile operating system after Kit Kat
candy bars.
The tech giant, which is known for
nicknaming its Android mobile operating
systems for smartphones and tablets
after desserts, has for the first time
chosen a brand-name candy for its 4.4
version that's expected to launch this
fall.
Kit Kat packaging will show Android's
green robot mascot breaking a Kit Kat
bar.
The new Kit Kat label featuring
Android's green robot mascot. AP
Photo/The Hershey Company
Financial terms weren't disclosed for the
sweet deal between Google and Hershey
Co., which makes Kit Kat. But the deal
shows that naming a stadium or
sponsoring a TV show can be seen as old
school. The latest marketing craze may
be to slap a brand name on a tech
product.
Google approached Hershey about six to
nine months ago for permission to use
the name, said Jennifer Podhajsky, vice
president of U.S. chocolate at Hershey,
which licenses the Kit Kat brand in the
U.S., while Nestle owns the worldwide
brand.
Podhajsky said that Kit Kat's jingle is a
good fit for people taking a break to look
at their smartphones or tablets. She
added that the deal appeals to Hershey
because Android hits the sweet spot of
Kit Kat eaters, who are typically between
the ages of 18 and 34.
"Kit Kat consumers are young, vibrant
consumers of candy and chocolate bars,
and that's a nice match with Android,"
Podhajsky said.
The Kit Kat name was unexpected since
tech pundits have speculated for months
that the next operating system would be
called Key Lime Pie. Marc Vanlerberghe,
director of Android Marketing, said the
name was chosen because Kit Kat bars
have been a "favorite go-to snack
among the team since the early days of
Android."
The Android 4.4 Kit Kat system is
expected to launch in October. The
software is now running on more than
750 million smartphones and tablets
throughout the world, making it the
world's most widely used mobile
operating system.
Here's a look at Google's history of
naming each version of the system after
sweet treats:
2008
Android 1.0 -- no nickname
2009
Android 1.1 -- no nickname
Android 1.5 -- Cupcake
Android 1.6 -- Donut
Android 2.0 -- Eclair
2010
Android 2.2 -- Froyo
Android 2.3 -- Gingerbread
2011
Android 3.0 -- Honeycomb
Android 4.0 -- Ice Cream Sandwich
2012
Android 4.1 -- Jelly Bean
2013
Android 4.4 -- KitKat

Nice

Hahaha ...similar to NL's Kitty-Kat

nice

This is a surprise from Google because most people were expecting it to be Android 5.0 and to be called Key Lime Pie but they claim Key Lime Pie is not that popular...