This is how Microsoft is integrating its Android apps into Cyanogen OS

These mods will be rolled out next month on devices running Cyanogen OS 13 and above. The new platform - dubbed Cyaonogen MOD - will enable deeper integration into the mobile operating system of apps and services that were previously isolated. Third-party apps will be able to take advantage of Cyanogen APIs.

Microsoft and Cyanogen have been quite chummy as of late, with the Redmond giant partnering to bring their apps and services on Cyanogen OS phones. The Cortana mod is particularly interesting, since it allows users to call out to Cortana and do more than the version available on the standard Google Android.

Recently, Cyanogen has expanded its efforts to distinguish its own branch of Android, leading to many spectators claiming it is trying to steal it away from Google. The company's partnership with Microsoft has resulted in the introduction of a Skype mod that can be integrated into the phone's native dialler for VoIP calling functionality. With mods , barriers to deeper integration are removed and developers can now unleash the full potential of their applications across the OS. Other Microsoft products, including OneNote, are already ripe for inclusion. The PDK will consisit of all the necessary important components one needs to launch a device that is MOD-enabled.

As AndroidPolice.com (where I first saw mention of Cyanogen's MWC announcement) notes, today's Cyanogen MOD program has nothing to do with the CyanogenMod Custom ROM. The evolution to MOD is the next chapter in this journey, enabling our customers to choose the services they love and have them natively integrated on the device. From its inception, CyanogenMod, as it's still known in in its open source version, started with the goal of building a better Android without compromising performance by adding bloatware or ugly skins. There are also True caller and social lockscreen mods available from Cyannogen's other partners. The Hyperlapse Mod will be built in to the native camera app. It will allow you take fast action videos and also let you edit them by altering the speed, save and share on social media. The MOD program sounds similar to the "Scopes" concept of Ubuntu Phone as both systems seek to blur the distinction between "system" and "app" to achieve the universal aim of letting users do more with their phone. Cyanogen is reimagining mobile computing, giving power to the people to customize their mobile device and content experiences.

Cyanogen's branding of this feature is rather confusing. For more information, visit Cyanogen's website, MOD website, Google+, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

German Shorthaired Pointer wins Best in Show at WestminsterAnd if there's anything more calming than the sight of a dog sleeping like, well, a dog, I'd like to hear about it. We always say he's an old soul. "From the moment he was born, he walked across the room and we thought: 'Oh, boy".

Source: This is how Microsoft is integrating its Android apps into Cyanogen OS