CyanogenMod Appears On Google Play, Enables Easy Android Rooting

CyanogenMod, an immensely popular community-built distribution of Android, has reached a stable release version, with a simplified installer now available on the Google Play store. The app streamlines the device flashing process, replacing the stock OS in just a few clicks.

CyanogenMod adds functionality to Android the same way various Linux distributions transform the desktop OS – it’s worth remembering they are based on the same kernel.

The latest version is also available to install from a PC.

“The reception and demand we’ve received for the installer shows the value in breaking down the barrier to entry that we sought to address,” says a statement on the CyanogenMod blog.

You can find more information and download the installer here.

Designed by enthusiasts

Development of CyanogenMod started in 2009, after Steve Kondik aka Cyanogen took over the firmware project run by a coder calling himself JesusFreke. The distribution quickly grew in popularity, attracting hundreds of contributions from established open source projects.

CyanogenMod officially became a company back in September, after receiving $7 million in series A funding.

The latest release has been beta tested by more than 7000 community members. To date, CyanogenMod had been installed more than 7.5 million times. Quite often, it offers the only chance to upgrade the OS on older devices that are no longer supported by their manufacturers.

Some of the distribution features that improve Google’s mobile OS include native theming support, FLAC audio codec support, a built-in OpenVPN client, extended application permission management, support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and USB tethering, and CPU overclocking.

Despite a blessing from Google, flashing any ROM to an Android phone used to be a complicated process, taking several steps and requiring plenty of research. With the release of the new installer, users simply have to hit the ‘Start’ button. The software will automatically root and unlock the boot loader, giving the owner complete control over their device.

A word of warning: rooting your smartphone or tablet can void the manufacturer’s warranty.

“We will continue to work on supporting additional devices beyond the initial set, but we are proud to say that we are supporting the majority of flagship models currently on the market,” said the CyanogenMod team.

“After this release, we will also refresh the layout and design of our Download Portal, making it easier to find the builds for your devices.”

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