The new version of the Android mobile operating system has been called Oreo as Google continued its tradition of naming releases after confectionery.

The software has followed the unusual naming convention since its third release, Cupcake, in 2009, reports news.sky.com.

Since then, Google has dubbed software releases:

1. Donut

2. Eclair

3. Froyo

4. Gingerbread

5. Honeycomb

6. Ice Cream Sandwich

7. Jelly Bean

8. KitKat

9. Lollipop

10. Marshmallow

11. Nougat

12. Oreo

The company which makes Oreo, Mondelez, said it was partnering with Google regarding the naming of the operating system rather than engaging in a formal sponsorship deal.

Google, which now sits under a parent company called Alphabet, regularly describes its relationships with other businesses as partnerships even when those links are commercial.

Financial terms of the deal were not released when Android K was revealed as Android KitKat either.

The new operating system received its first stable release on Monday 21 August, but will be more consistently released in the autumn, most likely after Google releases its new Pixel phone in October.

Google launched its Pixel phone last year. The device is tailored to make users even more connected to Google’s services, which are increasingly utilised by mobile users.

A ‘smart feed’ is being developed to tailor news updates for Google users, using machine learning technologies to predict what they will be interested in.

At the same time as tailoring suggested news articles to users’ tastes, the feed will also be able to target advertising to them as well — which is where 87%, or more than £18.9bn ($24.7bn) of the company’s revenue came from in the first three months of 2017.