Google is fond of picking candy nicknames for its Android mobile operating system. The version that will follow the current Android Lollipop is expected to have a name that starts with the letter M, but whatever the final nickname will be, it might as well stand for "workplace."
That is probably what Google fans were thinking when they saw the lineup of events for the tech giant's I/O conference (which is slated to happen from May 27th until May 29th this year). In a post for a session entitled "Android for Work Update,” the first sentence apparently stated that Google will be “bringing the power of Android to all kinds of workplaces."
Google has since taken out the whole post for the Android for Work session. But not before Ars Technica was able to grab a screenshot, which means that there is definitely evidence of the upcoming launch of the newest Android version.
Google has a playful approach to teasing upcoming versions of its Android mobile operating system. The company usually reveals the first letter of the name in the weeks or months leading to the unveiling. At official launch time, the full nickname is then revealed. We know for a fact that Google is naming each version alphabetically, so by this logic, we are looking at the release of Android M pretty soon. But what could M really stand for? The possibilities are so many -- Milky Way, Marshmallow, M&Ms, etc. Candy nicknames notwithstanding, fans of Android are likely to get excited with this news, and are no doubt looking forward to discovering what new things Android M will be bringing to the table.
As expected, Google remains mum about Android M details, for now. But we can get some clues from the session that was removed. As stated in the description for the Android for Work Update session, the upcoming new version of Android will open up loads of new markets for a vast number of mobile devices to workers at small enterprises, deskless employees, logistics and warehousing related positions -- all empowered by the full integration of Android mobile devices in workplace settings.
Google had launched its Android for Work initiative in February earlier this year. The objective was to encourage more end users to utilize their Android mobile devices at work. Also, this new initiative serves as Google's answer to the Apple-IBM team-up, which aims to develop iOS apps for specific industries so as to introduce more iPhones and iPads in the world of business.
It may still be too early to tell, but if there is one thing that can be gleaned from all this, it is the realization that the lines between personal and business needs are really becoming more blurry in mobile. And mobile giants are now targeting casual end users as well as business-oriented users.
