Android O
Android OReuters

Talks about Google's upcoming new operating system, dubbed as Android N, have begun even as several mobile phone manufacturers are struggling to make the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update available to their premium devices.

Google is expected to announce Android N at its I/O 2016 event, which will be held between May 18 and May 20. The Developer Preview of the OS is expected to be made available at the event, but its release should come a few months later.

If Google follows its tradition, the upcoming firmware should come running in its upcoming devices, most probably the successor of LG Nexus 5X and Huawei Nexus 6P that are expected to be released in the third quarter of this year. The firmware is then expected to be rolled out to other Google affiliated devices.

[Read: What we know so far about Google's new OS Android N]

The search giant is yet to announce the list of devices that will receive the new firmware, but it's an open secret. The company's software support for the Nexus devices is limited to maximum two years, which is why the 2012 series LG Nexus 4 and Asus Nexus 7 were out of the list for the Android 6.0 Marshmallow update when it was released last year.

Interestingly, Google may be planning to make the software support period an exception for its 2013 LG Nexus 5. The new firmware has been spotted on Android's Developer site, showing a Day-Night theme within the system settings and the screenshot is done on a Nexus 5 device, which is a clear hint that it will get the upcoming firmware.

[Read: Android N is coming to Nexus 5: Official screenshots reveal new design]

It is almost certain that the Google devices, like the LG Nexus 5X, Huawei Nexus 6P, Motorola Nexus 6, HTC Nexus 9 and Nexus Player, will get the new firmware. However, Asus Nexus 7 (2013) may or may not get it as it has received two years of software support.

Android N is expected to be named after a sweet like its predecessors and several reports suggested names like Android Nectar, Nougat, Nutty, Noodles, Nutella, etc, but it's all speculations at the moment. It is expected to come with features like a split-screen, performance upgrade and battery saver.