The last two years have been quite good for Cyanogen. The company saw its software ship on new hardware and quickly gain praise. All of this made investors eager to become involved with the software developer. Microsoft, Amazon, Samsung, and even Yahoo all were said to have expressed interest in Cyanogen almost six months ago. In October, Google joined those interested but Cyanogen declined what was reportedly an offer to acquire the entire company. Cyanogen wants to operate on its own and keep Android as open as it should be. Of all the companies interested in Cyanogen, it looks like Microsoft has made the most progress.
Microsoft, according to The Wall Street Journal, is active with “putting money into Cyanogen.” A recent round of equity financing ended with about $70 million and Microsoft was labeled as a minority investor. The reason for Microsoft being involved with Cyanogen is not clear; however, the company’s issues with Windows Phone could be an indication that CEO Satya Nadella wants to see what other options are available. The software produced by Cyanogen is indeed Android, but it is quite different because of the adjustments and additions made. Microsoft could abandon Windows Phone altogether in the event Windows 10 does not improve market share. The more likely scenario is that Microsoft backs Cyanogen and, perhaps, launches devices with the software while supporting Windows Phone simultaneously.
Or maybe Microsoft intends to release dual-OS devices…
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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