The world’s most popular custom Android ROM is now officially available for Android One (sprout 4) devices. According to a post on the official Cyanogen repository, Marshmallow-based CM13 nightlies have just been released for public consumption by the noted custom ROM maker. While unofficial builds of Marshmallow-based CM13 have long been available for Android One (sprout 4 and sprout 8) devices thanks to enterprising devs on XDA, this is the first time that Cyanogen itself has included official support for the line of devices that Google had launched with much fanfare in India last year. While the devices come with a stock Android ROM that’s optimized for entry-level hardware, if you are a DIY type or like to taste something other than vanilla Android, you’ll most likely appreciate the availability of the official CM13 ROM for your Android One device.
Google surprised one and all with the quick release of Android Marshmallow for Android One devices at about the same time the update was being rolled out to the company’s 2014 flagship handset, the Nexus 6. So the devices are already on the latest and greatest version of Android, which is more than what can be said about many premium flagship devices from big-name manufacturers. Now with the launch of the official CM13 ROM, Android One owners, especially the ones who like to fiddle around with their gadgets, will have access to features that most Cyanogen users have gotten accustomed to over the years.
Coming to the CM13 custom ROM, it is expected to retain the look and feel of stock Android with the feature additions and enhanced customization options that one associates with Cyanogen. Would-be DIY flashers however, should bear in mind that a nightly build is still a work in progress and is expected to come with its own quirks and issues. Any major bug of course, will eventually be ironed out by the CM team in the course of time as the nightlies graduate to milestone releases, but as of now, the software is expected to be buggy and there’s no guarantee of stability. If that doesn’t sound too scary, users of the devices can head over to the official Cyanogen repository (source link below), where the firmware is currently available for download.