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Custom CyanogenMod ROM Creator Joins Samsung, TouchWiz Getting Overhauled?

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It looks like Samsung has nabbed the founding developer behind the CyanogenMod custom ROM series for various Android devices, Steve Kondik. Kondik has indicated his official corporate involvement with Samsung by updating his Facebook status to say that he is now a Software Engineer with Samsung Mobile, but maintains that his custom CyanogenMod ROM efforts are “affiliated in any way with his employer.”

While on the surface, nabbing Kondik would definitely help Samsung improve and differentiate its products on the software side against other Android rivals. As Android is readily used in various phones, tablets, and products by many different manufacturers of products, Samsung’s efforts on the software side by providing an attractive UI, enhanced apps and widgets, and better out of the box software experience may appeal to users.

However, beneath the surface, we’re wondering if Kondik’s hiring may have more to do with the impending legal situations behind Android. Given Motorola’s recent acquisition by Google, perhaps enhancing the custom and proprietary TouchWiz UI on Samsung products will be a good way to steer the average consumers to Samsung smartphones, like the flagship Glaaxy S II devices. Additionally, with Samsung’s ongoing legal battles with Apple over its phones and tablet products violating designs and patents of the iOS-maker, perhaps taking Kondik on board may help Samsung steer TouchWiz in a visual design way that doesn’t resemble iOS so much.

Whatever the reason is, CyanogenMod is among the best custom ROMs on the market, and we’re excited for Kondik on his new endeavors with Samsung. We’re also excited to learn, hopefully soon, how he’ll help to shape Samsung products.

Via: GadgetU and Droid Matters

 

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. Cliff Porter

    08/17/2011 at 11:42 am

    Are you basing an entire news story with a bunch of blabber coming out of your mouth based on a simple status change on Facebook?  Is this really the only evidence that you have?  Have you confirmed this with the man himself?  Wow… 

    I don’t know if it may or may not be true, however it is stupid to base an entire news article based on a stupid Facebook status change.  Show me some real proof, with him saying he is officially hired there… then this article would hold a little bit of merit.

  2. Anonymous

    08/17/2011 at 4:05 pm

    I wonder how much of a raise he got

  3. Tonyfox27

    08/17/2011 at 4:36 pm

    Samsung said it on their site Cliff. Dumbass.

  4. Jimk

    08/19/2011 at 3:32 pm

    I doubt they’re hiring Cyanogen to help with UI issues. Cyanogenmod wasn’t known for any exceptional user-interface advances (the default launcher is the standard ADW) but for a vast array of under-the-hood improvements. Performance and stability are why I stick with CM. Their nightly builds (which he describes as “probably wildly broken”) are generally faster and more stable than the stock firmware available on many phones, Samsung’s in particular. Compatibility with existing applications is also excellent with Cyanogenmod (another area where Samsung could use some help.)

  5. Rahul Potluri

    09/05/2011 at 3:07 am

    When will CyanogenMod come to the DROID 3?

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