Google's announcement on Sept 3, 2013 that it will name its Android 4.4 OS as Kitkat and not Key Lime Pie has triggered fresh speculations on the name, release date, phones, tablets and upgrades for the upcoming Android 5.0.

Tech Radar noted that rumours continued to swirl about the next major Android update when the Jelly Bean was the current OS. The release of Kitkat dashed all those speculations, but techies are still expecting an Android 5.0 release with new and different features than original expectations.

First off is the name. Since Android has a dessert-themed tradition of naming its OS, the assumption is that version 5.0 would begin with the letter L. Among the guesses of the Web site of possible names are Lemon Cheescake and Lemon Meringue Pie.

As for the release date, based on Google's record of announcing the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at the 2012 IO conference, Tech Radar initially expected the release of the Android 5.0 at the 2013 event, but the focus of that IO were things that Google was doing for developers to write better things.

Thus, the most likely date of the Android 5.0 release, Tech Radar wrote, would probably be by mid-2014, possibly at the Google yearly two-day developer conference in San Francisco, California.

Previous rumours speculated on several handsets that would have the Android 5.0 OS. The list includes the Google Nexus 4 which came with Jelly Bean, the Motorola X which had 4.2.2 and the Google Nexus 5, but the accompanying specs and leaked images of the Nexus 5 indicated it would be made by LG and possibly sport the Kitkat.

The latest phone model speculated to be the first to have the Android 5.0 OS is the HTC T6, likely to be launched as the HTC One Max. The model, which would have a 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, appears to be headed for a yearend release, which would still make it too early for an Android 5.0-run device.

For tablets, Tech Radar initially speculated the refreshed Nexus 7.2 tablet would be unveiled at Google IO 2013 and sport the new OS, but the device was still a no-show at the IO. Google launched the device, built by Asus, on July 24, 2013 with the Android 4.3 OS.

Quoting a SamMobile source, Tech Radar also speculated that the devices that would likely get 5.0 are the Samsung Galaxy S4, S3, Note 2, Note 8.0 and Note 10.1, but there are no indicators that these gadgets would be the first to get 5.0.

Since speculations are often off the mark, Tech Radar writer Gary Cutlack, rather that further speculate on features of the Android 5.0, came up with his wish list made of 10 items.

These are:

  • Performance profiles
  • Better multiple device support
  • Enhanced social network support
  • Line-drawing keyboard options
  • A video chat app
  • Multi-select in the contacts
  • Cross-device SMS sync
  • A "Never Update" option
  • App preview/freebie codes
  • Ability to sort Settings screen by alphabetical order and a percentage count for the battery in the Notifications bar.

For a more thorough discussion of these 10 items, click here.

Another techie has his own 5.0 wish list in this YouTube video.

RELATED STORIES