Cyanogen and Microsoft reach strategic partnership to bundle Microsoft apps

Rumors of a partnership between Microsoft and Cyanogen have been swirling for some time, and today the company that's determined to "liberate" Android from Google confirmed that it has allied itself with its rival's enemy - Cyanogen will integrate Microsoft's consumer applications and services into its system.

Later this year, Bing, Skype, OneNote, Outlook and Office suite will all be bundled with Cyanogen. As part of the collaboration, Microsoft has been looking to natively embed its products and services into Cyanogen OS. Microsoft has been working hard to increase the presence of its own products on Android recently, and this collaboration is one of the results of these efforts. Previously, Microsoft has launched a number of applications for the Android platform, among which "Next Lock Screen" is intended to replace Google Android's built-in lock screen application.

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“People around the world are using Cyanogen OS and Microsoft’s universal services to get the things they need done on their mobile devices,” said Kirt McMaster, CEO of Cyanogen. “Our partnership with Microsoft will allow us to bring a complete service experience to mobile users around the world.”

Microsoft said it will "continue to provide the best productivity and communication service experience on Windows, and is pleased to see Cyanogen users will soon be able to enjoy these powerful services."