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That's nice, but how much will those phones cost? Will GrapheneOS be an option on the low end devices or will they only support "some" devices, which happen cost as much as a Pixel anyway?
this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2026
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Pixels have hardware documentation and are directly supported by Android, making them possible for the GrapheneOS dev community to support. Good luck doing that on a Samsung.
Motorola is doing good here. Also, buy a used Pixel 8, you'll have almost three years of support left.
That's the thing, even used Pixels are almost twice the price of what I paid for my new phone.
Back when I bought my phone I considered that route. but then since I can't replace the batteries on new phones without risking destroying the device. And there's a big probability that the phone comes with an almost dying battery.
I also understand that GrapheneOS can't be installed on any "unlocked" phone, it needs to be OEM unlocked and most sellers don't know/specify, so ended up considering too expensive and too much of a risk.
While the Motorola/GrapheneOS news is interesting, it's a shame that GrapheneOS's lack of root access continues to be a significant limitation. For users who prioritize data ownership and the ability to create full, local backups (Swift Backup being a prime example), it's simply not a viable option. Security is important, but so is control over your own data.
Have you seen the "Shizuku" app? It utilises the debugging api to give some extra permissions that regular apps wouldn't usually get. Works on GrapheneOS and can give SwiftBackup a lot more power on devices that can't grant root access. You might find you don't need full rooting.
I think most people here don't really understand what's going on here. Graphene OS is an Android mod with some extra security features designed to run on a hardened hardware. The main goal of Graphene OS is to protect users from some very specific attacks like some devices police uses to unlock phones or some targeted hacks by state actors. Unless you're worried you may be targeted by such an attack and have some date you need to protect from them you don't really need Graphene OS. You can run any of the other deGoogles Android mods on any hardware that supports it. You can already buy phones with pre-installed /e/ of iode ROMs. Many other phones support Lineage OS. Also, let's keep in mind that GrapheneOS only supports Pixel because they don't want to allow people to run their OS on hardware they don't think is secure enough. It's their choice not to support other phones.
Also, Google still controls AOSP so this does not solve any of the bigger Android issues. Motorola forking AOSP and providing the resourced needed to keep the development going would be amazing news. This is just one phone maker promising to fulfill the security requirements of Graphene OS. It's basically like Dell offering Ubuntu laptops. Good news but it will not have a big impact on the ecosystem.
This is nonsense. Everyone needs the most secure phone possible, especially considering it's the only device some people will ever own. None of the other de-Googled offerings come close to the security features that Graphene offers, some of which are custom built solutions. They go above and beyond what the typical ROM does, which is why it even supports a lot of banking apps that would normally be blocked.
There's a good reason people talk about GrapheneOS a lot lately, and not any of the many alternative Android ROMs that exist.
Also, let’s keep in mind that GrapheneOS only supports Pixel because they don’t want to allow people to run their OS on hardware they don’t think is secure enough
Obviously. That's the point: Graphene isn't just any de-Googled ROM, it's specifically a product designed for security-conscious users. If someone doesn't care about security and just wants to dick around on an old Android device, they can use one of the many toy ROMs out there (like iodé)
The main goal of Graphene OS is to protect users from some very specific attacks like some devices police uses to unlock phones or some targeted hacks by state actors.
That's simply not true. It does do those things, but that's not "the main goal". Not sure where you got that from?
This is nonsense. Everyone needs the most secure phone possible,
This is nonsense. GrapheneOS is like 0.00001% of the market. Almost everyone in the world manages to survive just fine "dicking around on an old Android". Only people that can be targeted by state actors really need GrapheneOS. Most people when forced to choose between unlocking their phones or being denied entry to a country, being stopped from boarding a plane or simply spending some time in jail will quickly unlock the phone and hand it over to police. Having extra secure OS is meaningless to them.
I understand you have some sensitive data on your phone and you would rather be detained than unlock it and that's fine. Graphene OS is for you. I'm sure you're already using it on a Pixel device. Motorola will offer you more options but that's it. Not much will change.
If you live in the united states, then you DO need protection against police and state attacks.
I never said you don't. I'm saying that if you DO need it you should be running GrapheneOS on a Pixel already. If you can wait a year or two until this phone comes out it's clearly not a "must have" for you.
Reproducible builds and lack of telemetry, plus hardening against compromise (by any actors) is my personal use case. I only run free/libre infrastructure privately, and hope to move on to open/libre hardware in future.
Yes. Controlling telemetry data transmission is why I run GrapheneOS.
It's not just degoogling is the reason for using grapheneos. There are many other user friendly controls. For instance, you block apps from network use, so your click farming game doesn't track everything about you.
iode has a build in app that let's you automatically block trackers for each app. You can manage internet connection and allow specific trackers separately for each app. I think internet access is a basic Android permission, any ROM can just block internet access for apps. I've used iode before, I'm using Graphene OS now. If restoring all the apps wasn't such a pain in the ass I would go back to iode. It also had a nice 'long press' navigation button shortcut feature, pattern unlock for the lockscreen and automated backups to self hosted ownCloud instance. Graphene OS is good but it's not a game changer.
Guess I know which brand my next smartphone upgrade will be.
If they did some nice 7" tablets too, that would be perfect.
Lenovo/Moto is weird about that... The android phones and android tablets have next to nothing to do with each other.
I do have a couple of their tablets and like them well enough, but you might as well consider them an entirely different vendor versus the Moto phone part of the business.
Well that's a shame.
I've been looking around for a replacement to my aged Samsung A6 (which has been given an extended life by replacing the factory ROM with something with less bloatware, but is still pretty limited in terms of memory) which is not a Surveillance Outpost for just who knows how many nations and just about any companies willing to pay the 3 cents of whatever for the data, and all the Linux and degoogled Android makers only have 10"+ ones, which are too big for my use case which carry a tablet on a coat or trousers back pocket when I'm going to be sitting down somewhere and waiting for something so that I can read books and maybe browse the internet on their free WiFi.
Personally I would LOOOVE a small Linux tablet, but I'm OK with some kind of privacy respecting Android which isn't riddled with backdoors mandated by governments which have Information Courts issuing Secret Bulk Information Collecting Orders, like the US and the UK.
I remember my original Moto G. It was a good phone for the time. I will follow Graphene wherever they go until a Linux phone is ready.
SailfishOS runs in Jolla phones (linux) and PostmarketOS is doing strides.
I looked at their latest phone on their website. The specs look better than some of the other Linux manufacturers. They finally ditched the 720p display that was holding back the Pine, Jolla, and similar Linux devices for an FHD panel. I appreciate that they are differentiating on user-benefitting hardware features like swappable batteries, SD cards, and headphone jacks seems like a smart strategy as these are things mainstream manufacturers largely refuse to implement but are popular among a good chunk of users. Sure, there will be a mainstream phone with a brighter screen, faster processor, better "features", but it looks like the hardware is finally on par with the rest of the market. I'm really happy to see this!
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Let's see if it gets released before GrapheneOS and unlockable bootloader get outlawed
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This is crazy big news.
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