Google launches Android KitKat with Nestlé collaboration and spoof Apple ad

Launch of the latest version of Google's mobile OS has been light on technical details, heavy on the jokes

James Vincent
Wednesday 04 September 2013 13:35 BST
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Coinciding with its 15th birthday celebrations, Google have announced KitKat: the latest version of its Android mobile OS.

The search giants have traditionally named different versions of Android using a sweet theme in alphabetical order. The tradition started with Android Cupcake (version 1.5) back in 2009, before continuing through Donut, Eclair, Froyo (that’s ‘frozen yoghurt’), Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich and, most recently, Jelly Bean (versions 4.1-4.3).

The naming is especially surprising as it had been previously thought that the next update would be ‘Key Lime Pie’. KitKat will be version 4.4 of Android, the operating system that now ships on nearly 80 per cent of smartphones worldwide.

For their latest update it seems Google have really warmed to their dessert theme, launching the new version of their software alongside branded chocolate bars of the same name from Nestlé. To celebrate the release the Swiss food and beverage giant will ship more than 50 million KitKats featuring the Android mascot to 18 markets including the UK, the US, Japan, India and Russia.

Speaking to the BBC John Lagerling, director of Android global partnerships, said that the ‘partnership’ with Nestlé was “not a money-changing-hands kind of deal”, and that both parties had wanted to do something "fun and unexpected".

Specially branded KitKat wrappers will also offer Google-related prizes.

Nestlé have joined in by collaborating on a spoof promo video for their famous chocolate bar (see below), describing the KitKat as offering “adjustable orientation” and “global coverage” that means you can take the snack “literally anywhere”.

The ad also takes a dig at Apple, briefly showing a tablet screen with the tag-line ‘There’s a KITKAT for that’, an allusion to the iPhone maker’s famous ‘There’s an app for that’ slogan.

Nestlé promises that “no matter what type of break you’re looking for, we’ve got it covered”, offering “a two mega-bite, four mega-bite, or chunky-bite option”.

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