Android 17 ‘Cinnamon Bun’ Codename Confirmed: Release Timeline, Features, and What’s New in Google’s Next Big Update

Google’s next major Android release finally has an official flavor. Over the last 24 hours, multiple deep dives into the latest Android Canary build have found a new internal version string, CINNAMON_BUN, confirming that Android 17’s dessert codename is “Cinnamon Bun.” ^[1]

The discovery cements months of leaks that pointed to Cinnamon Bun as the internal name following Android 16 “Baklava”, and it fits neatly into Google’s long-running dessert naming tradition — even if those names haven’t been used in public branding since Android 10. ^[2]

In this article, we’ll break down:

How the Cinnamon Bun codename was confirmed
What it tells us about API level 37 and the Android 17 timeline
New features already linked to Android 17, from easier third‑party app stores to serious gaming upgrades
Why all of this matters for developers, OEMs, and everyday users

Android 17 Codename Confirmed: What Was Found in Android Canary

The key clue comes from the latest Android Canary build, Google’s bleeding‑edge preview channel for upcoming platform changes.

According to code analysis published by Android Authority, Android Headlines, and others, the system class android.os.Build now contains “CINNAMON_BUN” as a valid Android version identifier, alongside other recent dessert names like Baklava (Android 16). ^[3]

Two important details stand out:

Version code 10000
- The entry for CINNAMON_BUN is currently tied to version code 10000, a special placeholder Google uses for in‑development builds that don’t have a final API level yet. ^[4]
- This is the same “magic number” Google documents for current development versions, ensuring that any future Android release can be distinguished from officially shipped platforms.
Heading toward API level 37
- Android 16 is API level 36, and Google’s own documentation plus multiple reports indicate that Android 17 will ultimately become API level 37 once the platform reaches “Platform Stability” in 2026. ^[5]

In other words, Cinnamon Bun isn’t just a fun string hidden in the code — it’s the internal codename for what will become Android 17 / API 37, now far enough along that public builds are starting to reference it.

A Sweet but Quiet Tradition: Why “Cinnamon Bun”?

Google’s dessert nicknames used to be front‑and‑center in marketing (Cupcake, Donut, KitKat, Oreo, Pie…). That stopped with Android 10, which dropped the dessert branding publicly but kept it alive internally. ^[6]

Recent internal names include:

Android 10 – “Quince Tart” (Q)
Android 11 – “Red Velvet Cake” (R)
Android 12 – “Snow Cone” (S)
Android 13 – “Tiramisu” (T)
Android 14 – “Upside Down Cake” (U)
Android 15 – “Vanilla Ice Cream” (V)
Android 16 – “Baklava” (B)
Android 17 – “Cinnamon Bun” (C) ^[7]

You’re not imagining it: after V (Vanilla Ice Cream), Google looped back to B for Baklava and now C for Cinnamon Bun, suggesting an internal “second round” of the alphabet rather than the old one-version-per-letter mapping.

For everyday users, this is mostly trivia. For engineers, OEMs, and enthusiasts watching AOSP changes, codenames are useful labels for tracking branches, feature flags, and build artifacts across the Android Open Source Project. ^[8]

Android 17 Release Timeline: From Developer Preview to 2026 Stable

While Google hasn’t publicly announced Android 17 yet, several independent roadmaps and developer‑focused write‑ups line up on roughly the same schedule:

Developer Previews:
Industry analysis expects Android 17 developer previews to start rolling out around November 2025, following the same pattern established by Android 16. ^[9]
Betas & Platform Stability:
Over roughly six months of previews and betas, Android 17 should move from placeholder version 10000 to a finalized API level 37 once “Platform Stability” is reached. That’s when all app‑facing APIs are locked down and OEMs ramp up full compatibility testing. ^[10]
Stable Release:
Multiple outlets — including Android‑focused tech sites and regional news coverage — point to a Q2 2026 launch window, likely May or June 2026, mirroring Android 16’s June 10, 2025 release. ^[11]

So while Cinnamon Bun is now “real” in code, it’s still many months away from shipping on consumer devices.

What’s New in Android 17 (Cinnamon Bun) So Far

The codename confirmation arrives alongside a flurry of Android 17 feature leaks and early documentation. None of this is final, but the picture is getting clearer.

1. Easier Third‑Party App Stores with “Registered App Stores”

One of the biggest policy-level changes tied to Android 17 comes from the Epic v. Google settlement.

According to Android Headlines, Android Authority, and European tech reports, Android 17 introduces a concept called “Registered App Stores.” ^[12]

Here’s what that means:

Single, system‑level install flow
- Certified third‑party app stores (think Epic Games Store, Amazon Appstore, OEM stores) will be able to trigger a unified “Store Install” screen.
- Approving that screen gives the store ongoing permissions to install and update apps, without juggling extra settings toggles or scary sideloading dialogs.
Fewer OEM roadblocks
- As part of the agreement, Google is contractually limiting how much OEMs (Samsung, Xiaomi, etc.) can add extra warning screens or friction around these installs, so the flow remains consistent across devices. ^[13]
Gradual rollout, but starting with Android 17
- Google is expected to deliver the platform changes supporting Registered App Stores by the end of 2026, but the initial implementation is slated to debut with Android 17 according to settlement coverage. ^[14]

For users, this should make installing legit alternative stores dramatically less painful. For developers, it reshapes distribution strategies well beyond the Play Store.

2. Big Gaming Upgrades: Controller Remapping and “Virtual Gamepad”

If you use your phone like a handheld console, Android 17 is shaping up to be a serious upgrade.

Recent code dives and reports highlight several upcoming gaming features:

Native controller remapping
- New permissions like android.permission.CONTROLLER_REMAPPING and related settings pages suggest Android 17 will let players remap every button on a connected gamepad directly from system settings, including rear paddles and shoulder buttons. ^[15]
Per‑game profiles
- Early UI strings indicate the ability to save custom profiles per game, much like on consoles, so you can have different layouts for shooters, racing titles, or emulators. ^[16]
Virtual Gamepad layer
- A new “Virtual gamepad” system acts as a translator between physical controllers and games that only understand touch input, mapping physical buttons to on‑screen touch regions. This would finally let you use a controller in titles that never shipped with native gamepad support. ^[17]
Deeper, system‑level controller support
- Companion coverage in outlets like NotebookCheck and Digital Trends notes that Android 17 is broadly improving gamepad support, latency, and compatibility, positioning Android as a more console‑like platform as mobile chips like Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 push performance higher. ^[18]

These features are still tied to development builds, and reporters caution that Google could delay or cut them — but right now, Android 17 looks like the biggest gaming upgrade Android has seen in years. ^[19]

3. Material 3 Expressive, Desktop Mode, and Adaptive Layouts

A lot of Android 17’s UI and UX changes are actually evolving features that first appeared in Android 16 and its QPR (feature drop) releases. Google’s own documentation and deep dives from Android Authority and developer articles outline how these will mature in 2026. ^[20]

Key areas to watch:

Material 3 Expressive everywhere
- Android 16 introduced Material 3 Expressive, a more dynamic, animated design language. Android 17 is expected to push this further across system UI, notifications, and widgets, and to drive OEM adoption beyond Pixels. ^[21]
Desktop Mode grows up
- Desktop-style windowing, taskbars with overflow controls, and improved external monitor support are already in Android 16 QPR builds. With Android 17, Google plans to make adaptive layouts and resizable windows effectively mandatory on large screens, turning desktop mode into a first‑class experience rather than a hidden experiment. ^[22]
Min Mode & Always‑On mini apps
- A newer discovery dubbed “Min Mode” points to apps being able to show compact versions on the Always‑On Display, aligning with Google’s broader push to adapt UI to context and screen state. ^[23]
Graphics upgrades: Vulkan 1.4 & mandatory ANGLE
- Google has already said Vulkan is becoming the official graphics API for Android, and Android 17 is expected to require Vulkan 1.4 and expand mandatory use of ANGLE (a translation layer from OpenGL ES to Vulkan) to more devices. This will benefit gaming and high‑end UI effects. ^[24]

4. Security, Privacy, and System Behavior

Android 17 will also be the release where several Android 16 initiatives become platform baseline requirements:

Intrusion Logging – a secure log of suspicious activities like unknown USB connections, app installs, and network changes, stored encrypted in your Google Account. The API is in Android 16, but wider rollout is expected as part of Android 17’s platform wave. ^[25]
Stronger Factory Reset Protection – new flows that can lock a device into repeated factory reset cycles until legitimate ownership is proven, making it much harder to resell stolen phones. ^[26]
Mandatory adaptive layouts – Android 16 let developers opt out of some layout changes on larger screens; Android 17 removes that opt‑out, enforcing resizable, orientation‑agnostic apps across tablets and foldables. ^[27]

Together, these moves make Android harder to compromise, more flexible on big screens, and more consistent across devices.

Why Android 17 (Cinnamon Bun) Matters for Developers

If you’re building apps or games, the codename news is more than fun trivia. It’s a signal that the Android 17 cycle has truly begun — and that it’s time to start preparing.

Here’s what you should be doing now:

Plan for API level 37, not 10000
- Treat version code 10000 as a temporary development marker only. Avoid shipping production code that special‑cases 10000; instead, use feature detection and be ready to update checks once Android 17 is assigned API 37 in later previews. ^[28]
Audit your layouts for large screens and desktop mode
- Android 17 will enforce adaptive layouts and resizable windows more strictly, especially on tablets, foldables, and external monitors. Start testing in Android 16’s desktop mode and QPR betas so your app doesn’t break when these behaviors become mandatory. ^[29]
Prepare for Registered App Stores
- If you distribute outside Google Play (or plan to), keep an eye on the Registered App Stores guidelines as they solidify. The new single‑tap install flow will change how users grant permissions and how your onboarding looks when coming from alternative stores. ^[30]
Optimize for better controllers and gaming APIs
- Game developers should plan to integrate with Android 17’s native controller remapping and Virtual Gamepad layer, so you don’t fight the OS for input handling. Early testing on Canary builds will be critical to ensure your control schemes feel natural under the new system. ^[31]
Leverage security & telemetry features
- Intrusion Logging, upgraded FRP, and new logging hooks give you more signals when something’s off with a device. Apps that handle sensitive data can use these to tighten account defense and fraud detection. ^[32]

What Android 17 Cinnamon Bun Means for Everyday Users

For most people, the “Cinnamon Bun” name won’t show up anywhere on‑screen — Android will still just say “Android 17”.

But under the hood, this release is shaping up to deliver three big changes you’ll actually feel:

A more polished, desktop‑friendly Android
- Better multi‑window support, richer Material 3 Expressive design, and improved external display behavior should make Android 17 feel more like a flexible computer OS, especially on tablets, foldables, and docks. ^[33]
Easier access to alternative app stores
- Installing trusted third‑party app stores should finally become a simple, single‑tap process, rather than a maze of settings. That opens the door for more competition and specialized stores — from gaming catalogs to OEM app hubs. ^[34]
Much better gaming and controller support
- Native controller remapping, virtual gamepad translation, and graphics pipeline upgrades will make Android far friendlier to Bluetooth controllers and handheld gaming setups. ^[35]

As usual, Pixel phones will be first in line via the Android 17 preview and beta program, with OEM skins to follow in 2026. Samsung, for example, is already talking about One UI 9 on top of Android 17 Cinnamon Bun, and has confirmed it intends to adopt the new app‑install system. ^[36]

For now, the headline is clear: Android 17 is real, its codename is Cinnamon Bun, and Google’s next big OS cycle has quietly kicked off in Canary. If you’re a developer, this is your cue to start adapting. If you’re a user, you can look forward to a sweeter, more powerful Android — and maybe treat yourself to an actual cinnamon bun while you wait.

Top 5 Android 16 Features: Big Visuals!

Watch this video on YouTube.

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