Cyanogen shacks up with Microsoft. Photo: Cyanogen

Cyanogen today announced a new partnership with Microsoft that will see the software giant’s apps and services baked into future Cyanogen OS releases. The deal is thought to be similar to that Microsoft recently agreed with Samsung.

WhatsApp finally gets voice calling — and it’s an Android first. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

WhatsApp voice calling is now available to all on Android in the latest version of the app, without the need for an invite or third-party hack.

WhatsApp will make you wait for voice calling. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging services on mobile, has long had plans to step up its assault against the likes of Skype and Viber with a free voice calling feature that was initially promised for the second quarter of 2014. Now the company’s CEO has confirmed that the launch is planned for early 2015 instead.

Skype Qik on iPhone. Screenshot: Cult of Android

Others have tried and failed to knock Snapchat off its perch, and now Microsoft is throwing its hat into the ring with a new service that uses Skype as its backbone. It’s called Skype Qik, and it allows users on Android, iOS, and Windows Phone to send self-destructing videos up to 42 seconds long.

Amazon has released its first commercial for the Fire Phone, and it’s focused on the free 12-month Prime subscription that comes bundled with it. There’s also a brief mention of some of the apps that will be available for the device at launch, including Skype, Twitter, and Minecraft.