Cyanogen Inc. has been active these past few weeks especially with the new updates to CyanogenMod. While fans — as always — have been pleased, the company seems on the verge of calling it quits as indicated by rumors that it is shuttering its Seattle office next month.
Headquarter Closure
Sources privy to the situation revealed that the closure was announced internally last Nov. 28, effectively giving employees roughly four months to pack.
It is not clear if the latest development is related to the removal of one of its founder Steve Kondik from the company's board last month. What is clear is that his new position as "Chief Science Officer" seems to have no authority whatsoever to stop the shutdown or even to change the direction that the company is now headed.
Layoffs At Cyanogen Inc.
Closing an office itself might not be the proverbial final nail in the coffin. Cyanogen Inc. still maintains its Palo Alto office, suggesting that it is far from raising the white flag.
However, more developments seem to indicate that the company is currently mired in deep trouble at the very least. Its departure from Seattle purportedly entailed a number of layoffs.
The number of affected employees has not been disclosed, but the rumor mill reveal that those given their walking papers were offered the choice to move to the Palo Alto office. However, that location has already shed two people working on Android development.
What Now CyanogenMod?
Observers now believe that the new developments are part of a consistent transition towards oblivion. The company's products, particularly CyanogenMod would probably persist considering the level of community involvement in its development. However, Cyanogen has been playing a stabilizing role, helping to ensure focus and the enforcement of standard that ensure the open source Cyanogen OS remains stable and secure.
It is also helpful to note that Kirt McMaster has relinquished his role as CEO to Lior Tal. Tal's appointment has been expected to inject some vitality to the company since he has previously worked for Facebook, leading a team credited for the social media network's growth through its programs and partnerships. Unfortunately, closing the company's Seattle headquarter, however, is not consistent with that glowing record.
It is important to note that there is still no official word about Cyanogen's troubles, so talk of its demise should be taken with a grain of salt. As a matter of fact, some of its job listings are still posted at GlassDoor.com so there still some glimmer of hope that the company is not exactly doomed.
