First stable release of CyanogenMod 9.0 arrives - Update

The first stable release of CyanogenMod 9.0 is now available for the GSM version of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone (code-named "maguro"). Version 9.0 of the CyanogenMod project's popular modified Android firmware is based on Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" and includes additional attributes such as new custom settings and user experience modifications.

Compared to previous releases, the latest stable iteration of CyanogenMod took longer than before due to major changes when jumping from Android 2.3.x "Gingerbread" to version 4.0.x. As noted when the developers published the first release candidate for CM9: "in many ways [the move] was a fresh start for this project"; in addition to major code changes in Android, the underlying structure and organisation of the project has changed.

The availability of a stable release of CyanogenMod 9.0 also means that nightly builds of the project's next major version, CyanogenMod 10 (CM10), are likely to be just around the corner. Based on the source code for Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean", CM10 is currently in development and will include the project's usual customisations. Last month, its developers said that CM10 should take far less time to complete than CM9, noting that most CM9-compatible devices will be supported.

CyanogenMod 9.0 for the Galaxy Nexus is available from the project's stable downloads page. Instructions how to "root" various devices and install ROMs can be found on the CyanogenMod Wiki; however, at the time of writing, an official 9.0 announcement has yet to be made. Version 9.0 for other devices including the Nexus S and Galaxy S series smartphones should follow over the coming days; as announced earlier this month, first generation Snapdragon-powered devices including the first Nexus phone, the Nexus One, will not be supported beyond the Android 2.3.x-based CM 7.x branch.

The H reminds users that, as with all custom firmware, inexperienced users are advised not to flash their devices as they could unintentionally "brick" them, resulting in a complete loss of functionality.

Update 10-08-12: CyanogenMod 9.0 has now been officially announced. The developers remind users that CM9 will be the "the end of the line for the ICS branch" of CyanogenMod as the team shift their focus to CM10 and maintaining the CM7 codebase. The developers also note that the maguro build was not intended to be linked publicly when it was; they say that a new build, marked 9.0.0.1, should be available soon and that it will be "on par with the other 9.0.0 releases". As expected, stable builds of CM9 for other devices including the Nexus S and variants of the Samsung Galaxy SII are now available to download; builds for other devices are in currently in progress.

See also:

• CyanogenMod reveals Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean" plans, a report from The H.
• CyanogenMod 7.2 gets backported Android 4.0 features, a report from The H.
• CyanogenMod surpasses 1 million installations, a report from The H.

(crve)