Android is Google’s famous mobile operating system. Every time Google updates Android, it gives each new version a title named after a sweet treat that begins with the letter of the alphabet that follows the last version of Android. The latest version of Android is Android Pie, the version before Pie was Oreo, and the version that will follow Pie will be a sweet treat beginning with Q (all guesses on what that Q may end up as are welcome in the comments).
Android Pie is also known as Android 9, and each time the number goes up so does the letter, as we’ve described above. This is a little confusing, however, as P isn’t the ninth letter of the alphabet. Why? In the early days of Android’s history, Google moved up a letter for every major update, even if the update wasn’t big enough to warrant a new number. For example, Android Kit Kat was actually Android version 4.4.
All this means if you have an Android phone, you could have one of many different versions of Google’s mobile operating system. With each version having its own unique features, it is worthwhile knowing exactly which version of android you have. Let’s look at how you can find out which version of Android your phone is running now.
This is how to find out which version of Android you have
To find out the version of Android you’re running on your smartphone, you need to:
- Go to the Settings menu on your Android smartphone.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap System. Then hit Advanced, and finally System update.
On the Google Android system support page for checking and updating your Android version it says that if you can’t see “Advanced”, you should click About phone.
- If you’ve followed the instructions above that apply to your mobile, you should now see which version of Android you have.
If you have a Pixel device, you will likely have the latest version of Android installed on your device. Pixels are Google’s own handsets, so they’ll receive updates as and when Google releases them. These updates usually come in October of each year, but you can find out more information on when and for how long your Pixel smartphone will receive updates here.
If you don’t have a Google smartphone, you’re at the mercy of your smartphone manufacturer. You’ll receive Android updates whenever they get around to taking the Google update and doing whatever they need to do to it before they can push it out to owners of their handsets. For more information, you’ll have to contact the company that built your Android smartphone and ask them when your update is coming. You’ll find links to all the support pages of the major Android smartphone manufacturers here.
