Google Gets Android 'KitKat' Ready; Google Androids Hit 1 Billion Device Activations

Google’s new Android, “KitKat” is already looking sweet for the tech giant. Mobile users’ appetite for the next installment of the Android operating system has just been whetted.

The senior vice president of Google’s Android and Chrome Sundar Pichai posted a Google+ post yesterday saying that here has already been one billion activations of Android-based devices across the globe, that includes smartphones and tablets. The Google announcement comes as the annual consumer tech trade show IFA starts in Berlin this week.

The billion activation milestone is leading to speculation that Google will be soon bringing out a new version of Android.

Google has been matching up candy names with the alphabet in their pattern of new launches, the company’s Android 4.4 has been officially dubbed as "KitKat."

The KitKat brand is owned by the Nestle company and licensed for use by the Hershey’s company in the United States. People are wondering why Google is moving in this direction. Previous Android OS iterations have had more generic dessert terms like Cupcake, Eclair, and Donut as well as Honeycomb and Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Android Team posted a blog yesterday that the new Google Android is a partnership that caters to Google and Nestle. In the great candy tradition of Willy Wonka’s golden ticket, the team announced, “KitKat has been a favorite candy on the team for some time, so for the K release, we asked if they’d be willing to lend their iconic candy bar to its name. Be on the lookout for limited edition Android KitKat bars coming soon to a candy aisle near you. For a lucky few, your KitKat bar might contain a winning ticket for a new Nexus 7 tablet or Google Play credits.”

Google hasn't yet announced a KitKat timeline.