The Strategist

Microsoft partners with Cyanogen to bring its app to the OS



04/18/2015 - 00:59





Microsoft partners with Cyanogen to bring its app to the OS
Open source software system Cyanogen has partnered with Microsoft Corporation to include Microsoft apps as part of its custom open-source operating system for Android phones.

The new deal will add a different perspective to the smartphone software business while being a big blow to Google Inc, the owner of the Android Interface. Cyanogen particularly is looking at adding Microsoft’s popular apps including Skype, OneNote and Microsoft Office into its kitty. The move will be a good news for consumers who were crying about the rigid placement of Google’s app icons on the home screens of their smartphones. Cyanogen but may have to concentrate this new software release in the developing markets which are typically early adapters of different types of mobile phone software.

Cyanogen, an aftermarket Android ROM maker, has jump started big into the mobile software business after landing a good VC funding. The company got its new CEO who stated his ambition as to take Android away from Google. The company wants to supply its Android distribution to open source manufacturers and its main showcase product is the OnePlus One phone which entirely runs on Cyanogen OS. With this deal, Cyanogen can boast of providing more choices for its consumers and benefit hugely from this while it is still a question of how the company can bring in apps without Google Play services.

Microsoft is handling this partnership as the next big step in the company’s mobile space. The cyanogen deal will improve the accessibility of the company’s apps for Android users leading to more adoption. The company has accepted that it cannot wish away the dominance of Android and should learn, in turn, to embrace it. The company brought Office over to Android tablets and will reportedly bring its voice assistant, Cortana, to Android as well. It also collects patent royalties from every major Android OEM, and the company signed a more limited distribution agreement with Samsung, which shipped OneNote and OneDrive on the Galaxy S6.