Mike Isaac
Popular Android Mod Creator Jumps to Samsung
The creator of one of the most popular Android software mod programs is now an employee of one of the largest Android smartphone manufacturers in the world. Samsung Mobile has recruited Steve Kondik, creator of the highly popular CyanogenMod software, to work as a software engineer for the company. "I will be working on making […]
The creator of one of the most popular Android software mod programs is now an employee of one of the largest Android smartphone manufacturers in the world.
Samsung Mobile has recruited Steve Kondik, creator of the highly popular CyanogenMod software, to work as a software engineer for the company.
"I will be working on making Android more awesome," Kondik wrote to tech blog AndroidandMe.
A Samsung spokesman confirmed Kondik's new employee status, but could not provide further details on the modder's position or duties.
Kondik refused a request for further comment. According to a screenshot of Kondik's Facebook page, however, his CyanogenMod software side project won't be a part of his new gig at Samsung.
For phone geeks, one of the biggest draws to Google's platform is Android's customizability. As Android emerged as the true competitor to Apple's iPhone over the past two years, the platform's "openness" became one of Google's main selling points. Unlike iOS, Android is available under an open-source software license, which means anyone who wishes to see the code behind the software can do so.
Kondik's CyanogenMod software was a perfect fit for Android. Essentially, CyanogenMod replaces the stock Android software with a custom build, allowing for adjustments to your phone that you wouldn't be able to make otherwise. From custom wallpaper to wireless tethering to even CPU overclocking, CyanogenMod became the official program for phone hackers since it was first released in 2009.
While Kondik says CyanogenMod and Samsung won't have anything to do with one another, it's easy to think his background in user interface tweaking and phone customization will influence Samsung's software design. Especially after the company sent Kondik and a number of other CyanogenMod hackers free Galaxy S2 handsets well before the wide release of the phone.
And Samsung has proved willing to experiment with its own Android software interface. The company's TouchWiz UI is also a custom version of Android, markedly different than the stock versions that come on other phones. In hiring Kondik, the company may go further with tricking out its own flavor of Google's mobile platform.
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Mike is a Wired.com staff writer covering Google and the mobile beat. He's written on a number of different tech topics, ranging from startups to social media.
TopicsAndroidhacksmodsSamsungsmartphonessoftware