Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) won't get around to talking too much about the next version of Android until its annual Google I/O developer conference rolls around again months from now, leaving plenty of time to speculate about what junk food it will be named after. But the company has already confirmed one change for the next iteration: Google will shift Android's Java APIs over to Oracle's OpenJDK. Google confirmed to VentureBeat that Android N will be using Oracle's open-sourced Java development kit, moving away from the Oracle's proprietary JDK.
It's still unclear how the change might relate to Oracle's Java API patent infringement suit filed against Google in 2010, which is still bouncing around the courts. That's led Android developers to speculate on whether Google and Oracle had resolved their dispute, while also praising the JDK change.
OpenJDK committed into #Android source tree? Was Oracle v Google settled out of court? Huge news if so https://t.co/rQJ7AFssn9
— Kevin Schultz (@kevinrschultz) December 29, 2015
it looks like we are going to hear a pretty big Oracle/Google announcement in the new year. https://t.co/GgsJecsksY
— Zaki Manian (@zmanian) December 29, 2015
#Google switches to open-source license for #Java APIs in #Android: will this limit #Oracle's case to past damages? https://t.co/Xmg97LmNqr
— Florian Mueller (@FOSSpatents) December 30, 2015
Cool Android Java is moving to @OpenJDK https://t.co/SFmCq19pfi
— Lars Vogel (@vogella) January 4, 2016