Android users in India may have a surprise in store for them. Google is conducting a poll over what to name its next Android OS and if state-run Kerala Tourism has its way, Android N may end up being named ‘Neyappam’ .

WikiCommons/Samphotography

Here’s how Kerala Tourism Ministry’s official Twitter page is promoting “Neyappam” – a humble sweet-dish from Kerala made out of rice and jaggery – as the choice.

Google has always named its Android operating systems after desserts such as Jelly Bean, Gingerbread, Donut, Eclairs Ice Cream Sandwich and Lollipop. (Kit-Kat is the only exception to generic dessert names but it’s a sweet-meat nonetheless). The current version is called Marshmallow. 

Kerala Tourism wants your vote

You can go cast your entry at android.com. And if the home page is any evidence to go by, Neyappam is quite popular (it features pretty prominently on the home page).

Well, India did try a similar thing in the past, but failed :frowning:

This is not the first time an appeal has been made to Google for naming one of its operating systems after an Indian dessert. 

Back in 2013, a group of students from IIT-Kharagpur wrote an open letter to Sundar Pichai, who then headed Google’s Android and Chrome. They appealed to him to name the next Android OS either ‘Lassi’ or ‘Ladoo’.

‘Lassi’ got further support from a group of about 500 start-ups, but it had no effect on Google. They went ahead with Lollipop. The group had earlier campaigned for ‘Kaju Katli’ but for Google, Kit Kat was the preferred choice. 

But we have an Indian as Google’s CEO now…

Indians are definitely obsessed about getting at least one version named after a local dessert, and the fact that Google is now headed by an Indian is giving them new hope. It’s evident from when Sundar Pichai visited India in 2015 as Google’s new CEO. Students of Sri Ram College Of Commerce, New Delhi, couldn’t contain themselves and asked him if he was considering the next Android update to have an Indian name. Pichai said he would ask his mom! 

b’Sunadr Pichai and Harsha Bhogle at SRCC | Image Source: Twitter/Mariam Shaza’

He also said Google might conduct a public poll for the name. Looks like the tech giant is living up to this claim. 

Does ‘Neyappam’ stand a chance?

We don’t know how Google selects the name, but we do know that it rejected Key Lime Pie in favour of Kit-Kat for Android 5.0 because it lacked global familiarity. Going by that, we aren’t very sure.

But hey, no harm trying!

(Feature Image Source: Twitter/Kerala Tourism)