Indian Android fans urge Google to name next version 'KajuKatli'

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

In about a week's time, Larry Page and Andy Rubin may get to taste the Indian dessert Kaju Katli.

A bunch of Indian Android entusiasts, in a bid to urge Google to name the next version of Android after Kaju Katli, would be sending Page and Rubin a box of the Indian sweet along with a letter signed by supporters from India pitching for the same.

Page is co-founder of Google and Rubin is the co-founder Android Inc. Google bought over Android Inc in 2005. Rubin is currently the senior vice president of Mobile and Digital Content at Google, where he oversees development of Android.

"We have been running this campaing for the past three weeks, asking for KajuKatli as the next Android version. Google sure has taken notice of this. At least one senior Google employee, who is an Indian retweeted about the campaign on the first day. We are hopeful that if enough Indians demand an Android version named after an Indian sweet, it shall work," said Annkur P Agarwal, who is running 'Join The "#KajuKatli For Android" campaign.

An email sent to Google India office did not elicit any response.

Google, by its naming scheme, names each version of Android after a dessert and it progresses in an alphabetic order. The last Android version, was named JellyBean.

Agarwal, who runs a start-up called PriceBaba in Mumbai, a mobile phone online store website, is running the campaign on his website. So far around 4,000 people have supported the campaign.

Other than spreading the word online, Agarwal and his colleagues have also been garnering support for the campaign with a giant mock-up of the Kaju Katli on the streets of Mumbai.

"I think Google has a big focus on India. It showed Hindi support during the launch of its last Android version, which was named JellyBean. The next would be a sweet beginning with from the alphabet 'K'. Hence, KajuKatli," added Agarwal.

"The idea of Kaju Katli was not meant to be funny or humorous, but something that India could resonate with," says Agarwal.

Supporters can log on to www.kajukatli.in to pledge support.

Android, a free open-source, is the single largest modern mobile operating system (OS) in India.

According to International Data Corporation (IDC) worldwide quarterly mobile phone tracker, Android will remain the most shipped smartphone operating system over the course of the five-year forecast though its share will peak this year with 61% of market share in 2012.

"Android will maintain leadership throughout our forecast, while others will gain more mobile operator partnerships or currently find
themselves in the midst of a major transition," said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC's Mobile Phone Technology and Trends team.

Against this, Windows Phone 7/Windows Mobile will have a shre of 5.2% while iOS (Apple) will have a share of 20.5% and BlackBerry OS will have a share of 6%.