Cyanogen announced the arrangement a couple of hours ago. Under the terms of the deal, Qualcomm will offer Cyanogen’s operating system based on Android 5.0 in upcoming Qualcomm Reference Design (QRD) devices. Qualcomm will release QRD in April.
Cyanogen on entry- and mid-range platforms
Cyanogen is usually associated with high-end devices, rooted and tweaked by enthusiasts. However, the QRD partnership extends beyond the high-end space.
The companies said Cyanogen will be available for Snapdragon 200, 400 and 600 series products. In fact, the whole goal of QRD is to reduce development costs and streamline the introduction of new, cost-effective devices.
"We chose to work with Cyanogen based on their deep Android expertise and innovative approach to enhancing smartphone software," Jason Bremner, SVP of Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, said in a statement. "By collaborating with Cyanogen, we are able to offer unique experiences to users of Snapdragon based devices."
Cheap Cyanogen white-box phones anyone?
This is why the partnership could have far-reaching implications. Qualcomm could market a number of different hardware platforms backed by the latest Cyanogen software.
Kirt McMaster, CEO, Cyanogen, said.
"We're addressing the needs of device makers in developed and developing markets looking for a truly differentiated software experience that matters to consumers."
Unlike the OnePlus One, these would be much cheaper devices, yet they would offer the latest Cyanogen operating systems and potentially get regular updates. OTA updates on reference platform hardware should be a lot easier, as there would be a lot less fragmentation.
It sounds like a very tempting proposition – getting cheap phones based on Qualcomm hardware, with software support provided by Cyanogen rather than white-box outfits that actually churn out the hardware, ushering in a new era of truly commoditised Android-based smartphones with proper software updates - sans Google.