Cyanogen Inc, the company behind the popular Cyanogen OS has been working towards replacing as many Google apps and services on their version of the Android software as possible, and the most recent happens to be Google Now. Back in the beginning of September it was rumored that there was a very good possibility users could end up seeing Cyanogen OS become integrated with Microsft’s Cortana app, the personal assistant which finds itself a home across numerous computing platforms including Android in addition to Windows 10 PCs, the Xbox One, and others. In an effort to continue expanding their software reach, Microsoft will be working with Cyanogen Inc to introduce deeper integration of Cortana into Cyanogen OS in the near future.
Just as Microsoft will be utilizing this to get their apps and software services into more hands through mobile devices, Cyanogen will get to replace another Google app with one that carries a list of similar functions, yet likely with expanded capabilities so it’s more on par with what users can do with Google Now. The version of the smart mobile assistant from Microsoft that’s currently available as an installable application on other Android devices is hampered compared to what it can actually do on Windows 10 Mobile devices, as well as Windows 10 PCs, so those who use a device that runs Cyanogen OS and were wanting a better experience with Cortana now look to be getting their wish.
This is in addition to the Cortana integration which has recently popped up in version 12.1 of CyanogenMod, which is the alternative firmware similar to Cyanogen OS that comes from the development community. Cortana will be the latest in a list of Microsoft services which can be preinstalled alongside the Cyanogen OS software, helping Cyanogen Inc move ever closer to a nearly Google-free Android experience that they can offer to users. Although the direct software integration between Cortana and Cyanogen OS seems to be a go, some users may not have access to it right away while they wait for the updates to be rolled out. In the meantime, there’s always the Play Store version of the service that can be downloaded and installed immediately