Wileyfox announced that it will be using Android to power its handsets after Cyanogen confirmed it will be halting the development of the Cyanogen OS by Dec. 31.
The UK-based phone company has been using the operating system for its mid-range smartphones. In a recently released statement, Wileyfox outlined its initial plans amid Cyanogen's impending collapse.
Wileyfox Turns To Android
The company cited that an over-the-air (OTA) update is currently in the pipeline for the entire Wileyfox product range. Save for the promise that the transition will be smooth and will lead to a pure but enhanced Android experience, no word has been released clarifying the schedule of the actual OTA rollout.
Based on its statement, however, Wileyfox customers should expect that OTA in the next few days. It has stated that once transition proceeds successfully, Wileyfox will promptly release an Android 7.0 Nougat update in the first quarter of 2017.
"We strongly recommend that all current and future users accept the upcoming update request to ensure they are on-boarded for the future," Wileyfox told Android Central. "This will include the ability to maintain the same experience as before and the added ability to partake in updates and upgrades to the software in the future."
On Cyanogen Phone's Extinction
At this point, it is not yet clear if the OTA itself is already an Android update. It could also be a Cyanogen OS firmware designed to prepare the device for an Android replacement. The uncertainty will probably bother Wileyfox customers who own devices especially designed for the Cyanogen OS.
There are reports suggesting that these handsets will go extinct, which could mean a number of things. Most importantly, however, there is the grim prospect that it will no longer be usable. While one can say that Wileyfox devices could still be flashed with other operating systems, there is still the risk of bricking once an entirely new OS is deployed.
One can only turn to the case of several Nexus handsets, which are currently experiencing serious compatibility issues after the installation of the Android 7.0 Nougat update. Whatever the case is, Wileyfox's developers will be hard at work in developing a version of pure and enhanced Android that will work seamlessly with its handsets.
Impact Of Cyanogen's Demise
Wileyfox's scramble for an Android build serving as alternative OS for its handsets underscores the impact of Cyanogen's closure. While there are claims that this development will not drastically affect CyanogenMod since it enjoys the support of a vibrant community, there is still the fact that the Cyanogen shutdown will effectively obliterate the infrastructure it is built on.
An initiative called Lineage has been formed to take the reins once Cyanogen ceased to exist. The project will build on the open source project and source code, which Cyanogen said will remain available.
"[Lineage] will return to the grassroots community effort that used to define [CyanogenMod] while maintaining the professional quality and reliability you have come to expect more recently," the CyanogenMod team stated.
