Microsoft signs partnership with Cyanogen, bundled apps and services on their way

The recent Cyanogen - Microsoft partnership is quite interesting given the fact that rumors previously suggested that Microsoft was interested in buying a stake in custom ROM maker. Although the rumor turned out to be false, it looks like the notion of a brewing relationship between the two companies was accurate.

The partnership with Cyanogen is just the latest in a series of steps that Microsoft is taking hoping to increase its footprint on Android devices. Microsoft imposes a certain fee to Android manufacturers for licensing various technologies required by the Android OS, as more than 200 of Microsoft's patents are necessary to build an Android smartphone. A recent report argued that the Redmond-based tech giant signed partnerships with 11 different device makers, lowering the licencing fees in exchange of getting some of its apps pre-loaded on smartphones and tablets. Two of these manufacturers are Samsung and Dell. Microsoft is also working on bringing Windows 10 to Android smartphones by developing a custom ROM that's currently being tested on the Xiaomi Mi 4.

source: Cyanogen