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After a surprising report that Microsoft was set to be a minority investor in Cyanogen’s latest round of funding, Bloomberg reports that didn’t actually end up happening. As of now Microsoft has no financial ties to Cyanogen, though the two are said to have at least negotiated a deal.
Still, Cyanogen has enough interest from other big players that they’re supposedly set to secure $110 million in funding, a move that could value their company at more than half a billion dollars once it’s all said and done.
The timing of the Microsoft rumor was magnified by these infamous words uttered by Cyanogen’s CEO: “we want to take Android from Google.” Not sure what the company meant at the time, everyone had feared they’d look to build a fork of Android reliant on Microsoft’s services.
Cyanogen later clarified that they meant they wanted to allow companies to be able to use Android without having to adhere to Google’s tricky usage licenses and agreements. In case you’re not aware, Android is free to download for anyone who’s interested — they put the source out there clear as day — but most of Android’s best features aren’t accessible unless you agree to load up Google’s entire ecosystem of services, apps and goods.
It’s not a big issue for most big companies, but for the smaller guys who might not be able to secure a proper license from Google without a good deal of financial hardship it’s seen as an absolutely nightmarish situation. It’s Cyanogen’s hope that they’ll be able to build an open ecosystem that everyone can enjoy no matter where they download it, why they download it and what they’re planning to use it for.
Except that Cyanogen is still entirely dependent upon Google to release AOSP. Kirt is such a tool if he thinks they are actually building their own OS…it’s nothing more than another community ROM with official support. The other problem is that a manufacturer can’t use “AndroidTM” without the GMS agreement, and there seems to be little interest in android (lowercase) without the Play Store, because that’s where all of the apps are.
“these infamous words uttered by Cyanogen’s CEO: “we want to take Android from Google.” …meant they wanted to allow companies to be able to use Android without having to adhere to Google’s tricky usage licenses and agreements”
Yep, because we can never have enough confusion and fragmentation in the android space. An android device without the play store isn’t really Android since it’s really all about the app ecosystem nowadays.
A shame, as both companies truly deserved each other.
What you did there –
I saw it.
I liked it.
I’m telling my friends about it.
I’m lmao at it. :D
My work here is complete, then. :)
The moron behind cyanogen probably said “you’re next!” during the negotiation.
I for 1 hope they succeed because at the moment, unless you root your device and put on a rom then your lumbered with all the bloatware of the phone company & the service provider. There are other sites which have android software, albeit that you have to be careful but everything is there to move away from googles control. For me, the sooner the better. Come on Cyanogen.
I used Cyanogen back in the days of Droid 2’s and 3’s but I’m just wondering if someone can clear up whether or not it relies on Play Services etc.?
You can install Play Services with it but it doesn’t come with it if you install Cyanogen on your phone.
Thanks. I’d love to see it as a standalone but it seems kind of counter-intuitive at this point in time.
To regain market share Microsoft should focus on bringing full Windows 10 x64 to phones so it runs modern interface in phone mode and desktop mode when docked to converge the traditional laptop and phone combo.
Who gives freaking dillo about windoze ken phone 2% market share its pos on windows ken,7,7.1,8,8.1,9,10