CyanogenMod: “Yep…It’s over”

Android has been looking more and more tempting as of late over my iPhone as AT&T and Apple continue to restrict more and more content (read: users’ rights) and make the iPhone less and less relevant. To anyone with an Android device, getting even more potential out of said unit involved using CyanogenMods and rooting into your phone. Once the dirty task of rooting was done, even more amazing things could be had with Android. But scary and disappointing things are starting to happen with Android as it appears the suits are buckling down. Remember the little bit of information we talked about last week involving the CyanogenMod ring leader and his C & D letter from Google? Well, the dialogue he had with Google didn’t go so well.

In his own words:

Yep, it’s over.

What’s over? CyanogenMod is over. Even worse, he goes on saying that he believes any ROM modding is over. The reason for Google’s crackdown is that the seemingly good natured claim they made stating:

…we are doing this because we believe there is an opportunity to create an open mobile ecosystem…

was an apparent lie. It now becomes apparent that the wants between Google Corporate and the Android Team aren’t on par. While the Android Team appears to still accept ROM modding and the greatness it brings, Google Corporate is doing nothing but trying to protect profits. Profits from what? All of those “Google Experience” apps such as Gmail, the Android Market, etc. that are made by Google. Without those apps Android is nothing as there isn’t any *good* mail program, syncing, the list goes on.

The real kicker here is that CyanogenMod was only for Google Experience devices which means the owners of said devices already paid for the rights to use said services. However, according to Google, copying anything aspect of your devices ROM is against their terms. (There we go again with that whole “my stuff is really only rented” ideology again”).

Does anyone see the potentially damaging effects over statements such as:

A big F U to Google and Android. My G1 will also be my first, AND ONLY, Android phone. I’ve been such a Google/Android fanboy since the G1 was announced – it’s ridiculous. I’m done. Here I come iPhone. Google can go F themselves.

from a highly reputable and respected Android modder on a platform that has so far mainly drawn in geeks — the type of people that are highly interested in modding their devices until their hearts content?

I still have faith in Google and the Android Team that this will get sorted out as people such as CyanogenMod were the ones that kept Google innovating Android at break neck speed. Guess we’ll just have to turn to torrents and such for our Android modding fix won’t we. I personally don’t believe the complete end of Android modding is here yet, but this development is certainly disappointing to say the least. Please Google, I beg you…don’t become another Apple/App Store demon.

Phandroid