Google just approved our first CyanogenMod phone

https://plus.google.com/110558071969009568835/posts/Gnq8cdq7VHi

by bane • 13 years ago

177 53 13 years ago

plus.google.com

manicbovine• 13 years ago

A little more context:

http://androidcommunity.com/oppo-n1-cyanogenmod-edition-gain...

Bahamut2• 13 years ago

I did some looking, but found it a bit troublesome to figure out - would this phone work on Verizon just fine?

jlund• 13 years ago

No. Verizon only allows pre-approved devices to appear on their network, regardless of whether you are prepaid or postpaid. They do this by checking the IMEI identifier of the device. If it's not one of theirs, it won't work.

Their network is also incompatible with the radio in this device.

biscarch4• 13 years ago

I really need to ditch Verizon when my contract is up... Does anyone have network suggestions for the Bay Area? (Palo Alto, Mountain View type areas)

e1ven2• 13 years ago

My understanding is that Verizon is required by the FCC to allow any device on their network, as a result of Google hijinks in 2008.

That said, enforcing it is another matter.

http://buzzmachine.com/2013/09/17/verizon-caught-red-handed/

Bahamut2• 13 years ago

Thanks for this - that sucks hard, I'm sorely tempted to switch off of Verizon. The only thing that keeps me on there is that I'm on a $40/month legacy family plan that still has unlimited data.

comex• 13 years ago

Aside from root access, we were not forced to make any compromises in terms of features or functionality

from the link posted in the comments here. Can someone with more knowledge of the Android ecosystem explain this? I guess the phone cannot come with root access out of the box, but since Google's own devices come with unlocked bootloaders, why would it care about that?

mcintyre1994• 13 years ago

I guess the rule is just no root without the user asking for it in some way? The Nexus 5 is unlocked, but it's not root by default. I definitely agree with that rule, I don't think it should be difficult but it definitely shouldn't be default. I'm a big fan of the sudo approach in some Linux distros.

ch4ch4• 13 years ago

It's better to have root access disabled by default on phones sold to the general public since they are more likely to just click the "Allow root access" button because they don't understand the security implications of allowing root access.

joenathan• 13 years ago

I think you are conflating issues, the Nexus 5 is only unlocked in the sense of being able to take it to any carrier. The bootloader is shipped locked but is easily unlockable by the user.

wnevets• 13 years ago

an unlocked bootloader isnt the same as a rooted device

martinml2• 13 years ago

It is on practical terms!

kllrnohj3• 13 years ago

An unlocked bootloader is better than a rooted device. If you have root but not an unlocked bootloader, you are unable to get full custom ROMs (meaning kernel and such, not just userspace), full control of your device, etc...

But with an unlocked bootloader, you just flash your way to root. Or to a full custom ROM. Or to whatever the hell you want.

gergles• 13 years ago

Aside from the only thing that makes our platform open, we didn't compromise on anything!

untog• 13 years ago

That's a very uncharitable way of reading it. You can still get root.

Shank• 13 years ago

Nexus devices do not ship with unlocked bootloaders. Users have to manually "fastboot oem unlock" for that to happen.

charleslmunger• 13 years ago

Perhaps it should say "unlockable" bootloaders, not unlocked. A locked but unlockable bootloader is what every phone should ship with - unlocking the bootloader wipes the system back to factory state. This way, it can't be used to compromise user data.

em3rgent0rdr• 13 years ago

For phone security, you actually don't want root enabled by default, especially if it is being sold to noobs. Even for pro users, it is best to be able to do most of what you need to do on the phone without requiring root privileges. Although ofcourse if it is really your phone, you should have the ability to root it, which you will still be able to do provided you have an unlocked bootloader, or even just if can run an root program from over usb. It is much more important to have an unlocked bootloader than just having root access pre-installed.

dave1010uk• 13 years ago

Does the same apply to a laptop or desktop PC? If not, why not?

norswap• 13 years ago

What's the point of the Google CTS Certification?

bluekitten• 13 years ago

These three articles should give you a lot of background.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/14/3335204/google-statement-a...

http://www.theverge.com/2011/05/12/google-android-skyhook-la...

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/googles-iron-grip-on-...

(page 3)

I am still curious if Jolla can be shipped by any of the Android OEMs in the Open Handset Alliance since it used a third party Dalvik VM, anyone know?

kllrnohj3• 13 years ago

The CTS tests is the suite that ensures that all versions of Android at the same API level behave the same as far as a developer is concerned. It verifies that the public APIs do what they are documented to do.

skillcode2• 13 years ago

Would love for someone to elaborate a little bit. Is this deal any good for CM?

saurik2• 13 years ago

Cyanogen Inc.'s business model is to license an improved version of Android to phone manufactures who want something better than what their competitors have; large manufactures do a bunch of customizations themselves (MotoBlur, TouchWiz, HTC Sense), but smaller manufactures are often left with "what you get from Android". However, to get the Play Store, as well as other first-part Google apps, a device has to pass Google's strict compliance tests. This is thereby Cyanogen's first customer, and a demonstration that their model is not fundamentally flawed (Google didn't deny the phone during certification testing did to some weird changes CyanogenMod has accumulated over the years, and a manufacturer wanted their product enough to get all the way through that process). If you were trying to value the company, I'd say a lot of the risks of their business model just got removed: they should be worth a ton more today than they were yesterday.

justin66• 13 years ago

However, to get the Play Store, as well as other first-part Google apps, a device has to pass Google's strict compliance tests.

The thing I wondered about when I saw this is whether there will now be a legitimate path for getting Google Play on Cyanogen-modded devices now. I kind of get the feeling not, based on what you're saying.

Aaron1011• 13 years ago

However, to get the Play Store, as well as other first-part Google apps, a device has to pass Google's strict compliance tests.

If you're talking about officially, when the device is shipped, then this is true. However, one of the first steps after installing a custom rom is to flash a Google Apps package for your device (which includes Google Play). People still install Google's applications without the device passing any test.

skillcode2• 13 years ago

Thanks!

colinbartlett• 13 years ago

Could someone explain what this phone is? The link is worthless and their site isn't very good at explaining it.

biscarch4• 13 years ago

afaik it's the Oppo N1[1] running Cyanogen. I got to play with one at the Big Android BBQ and it was pretty sweet.

[1] http://en.oppo.com/products/n1/

mkl• 13 years ago

A 5.9" screen seems huge - would it fit in an ordinary trouser pocket?

c0nsumer• 13 years ago

Oppo has made some nifty, extremely useful, very high quality, just-on-the-edge of legit (read: you can disable region coding easily) DVD players for years. I really like their stuff, and thus would have very high expectations for this phone. It's really nice to see their name on it.

laacz• 13 years ago

You can disable region coding easily on most of big brands also. For example, Philips has simple for digit unlock code enterable via remote.

Google just approved our first CyanogenMod phone

Related Stories