The Android mascot has become an iconic symbol of the operating system, but there’s a lesser-known version that many people are unaware of. This information comes from a post by Dan Morrill, a member of the Android team at Google. Interestingly, Morrill also revealed that the mascot does not have an official name, but it is commonly referred to as the bugdroid.

The design of the green Android logo we are familiar with today was created by Irina Blok, a graphic designer at Google. According to The New York Times, Blok and her team were tasked with creating a logo that would be easily recognizable and represent the Android operating system. Blok drew inspiration from science fiction, space opera, and restroom door pictograms of the universal man and woman.

While the Android mascot has maintained its basic identity over the years, it differs from typical marketing strategies in one important aspect. Just like the operating system itself, the design of the Android mascot is open source. Google states that the bugdroid can be freely used, reproduced, and modified in marketing materials as long as proper attribution is given, as outlined in their brand guidelines.

The openness of the Android mascot has contributed to the brand’s popularity, and Google has embraced its mascot in various ways. In 2011, they introduced Androidify, a tool that allowed users to create personalized Android avatars. However, in 2020, the project was discontinued. Additionally, Google has a lawn at their Mountainview campus dedicated to displaying statues representing different Android versions released over the years. Unfortunately, the Dandroids mascot is not among them.