CyanogenMod is starting to creak out from the typical ROMs available for Android, after securing a spot on the Oppo N1 and OnePlus One, more small mobile manufacturers are looking to add the custom OS onto their Android devices.
Nextbit is the newest candidate looking to add CyanogenMod at launch, we expect more manufacturers will start to do this. Not only is CyanogenMod easier to use than most custom ROMs, it is well loved within the Android community.
It looks like adding the mod is not the only thing some companies want to do, according to a report from The Information, Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung and Yahoo are all eyeing up a potential acquisition for the Android ROM maker.
Microsoft is a bit out of the blue, after dropping Nokia’s Android project and focusing on Windows Phone. CyanogenMod could be their bridge way into Android or they might bring in the development team to work on Windows Phone.
Samsung and Amazon both have good reasons, Amazon needs help with their software and service design, after looking at the appalling mess on the Kindle Phone. Samsung has always had issues trimming away at the bloatware on TouchWiz.
CyanogenMod’s founder Steve Kondik used to work at Samsung’s development studio, this would basically bring him back into the fold with his own team, allowing them more hands on with the TouchWiz design.
Yahoo is another oddball, the company has been on an acquisition spree ever since the change in CEO to ex-Googler Marissa Mayer. Most of the acquisitions have been for young startup talent, this would be a similar deal.
No word on how much CyanogenMod would be valued, considering the amount of eyes on the ROM we wouldn’t be surprised at half a billion or even one billion dollars for the startup, if either of the four companies really wanted CyanogenMod.
