The second phone to feature CyanogenMod software is on the way, but this time it’s not a limited edition version of an existing handset. Chinese startup OnePlus has announced that its first phone will ship with a “specially designed version of CyanogenMod.”
OnePlus is a new company founded by former Oppo executive Pete Lau. Since Oppo was the first company to work with CyanogenMod on a phone that comes with the software preloaded, it’s not exactly a surprise that OnePlus is the second.
But it’s always nice to have confirmation, and the company today announced that it would be working with CyanogenMod’s developers to load their custom version of Google Android on the phone. The OnePlus One will also have some “exciting new elements and features” that may not be available on other devices.
For instance, the Oppo N1 has a wireless remote control button that you can use to snap photos or perform other tasks and if you buy the CyanogenMod edition of the phone, there’s an option to assign custom tasks to that button. If the new phone from OnePlus has similarly unique hardware, it stands to reason that the company could work with CyanogenMod to develop custom software functionality.
No money changed hands when Oppo partnered with CyanogenMod on the N1. It’s not clear if that’s also the case with the upcoming OnePlus One or if this will be the CM team’s first foray into making money from its software (as opposed to simply raising venture capital). But either way, it’s a big step for a group of developers that started out as Android hobbyists and hackers before creating a custom version of Android that’s been installed on millions of phones and tablets.
via Android Police