TL;DR
- Google unveiled a new statue to mark the release of Android 15’s source code to AOSP yesterday.
- The status showcases The Bot enjoying vanilla ice cream as a tribute to Android 15’s internal codename.
- The stable Android 15 update is yet to roll out.
Google has taken the next step in its Android journey by making the source code for Android 15 available on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) as of yesterday. True to tradition, Google marked this milestone with the unveiling of a new statue of Android’s beloved mascot, The Bot. (h/t: Dave Burke, via 9to5Google)
Google has been known to introduce new statues whenever a new Android version is launched, often themed around the dessert-inspired codenames the company still uses internally. While Google stopped publicly naming Android versions after desserts following Android 9 Pie, these sweet monikers remain an internal custom. The latest version, Android 15, carries the codename “Vanilla Ice Cream,” which is clearly reflected in the new statue’s design.
Last year’s Android 14 statue featured an upside-down bugdroid, which was a nod to Android 14’s “Upside Down Cake” codename. This year’s statue showcases The Bot sitting on a park bench while enjoying a vanilla ice cream cone, which looks delicious.
Despite the release of the source code, the stable version of Android 15 hasn’t yet been pushed to consumer devices. Typically, Google’s new Pixel phones debut with the latest Android version, but this year saw the Pixel 9 series launched ahead of schedule, still running on last year’s operating system.
Google previously hinted that Pixel users can expect the Android 15 update to roll out in the coming weeks, although some reports suggest it may not arrive until mid-October. However, for those who enjoy custom ROMs, the wait may be shorter. Developers often create and release custom ROMs based on the latest Android version shortly after the source code is available on AOSP. This means that users with devices that support custom ROMs could potentially experience Android 15 well before Google officially releases it for Pixel devices.