GrapheneOS is a project that I, in theory, love. It’s open source, it’s very well written, the installation process is excellent and it gives you the choice between going completely Google free or having the play services installed but without the privileged access they would normally have.
The caveat to this is the only phones that GrapheneOS supports are Google Pixel phones. I do not like Google. I don’t like to support them by purchasing their hardware either directly through a new phone or indirectly through a used purchase (I figure buying a used one enables someone else to go and buy another new Pixel). Let me be clear and say that I have no concerns about GrapheneOS using Google hardware from a security or privacy standpoint, I just don’t like financially supporting Google.
The recent announcement from GrapheneOS here https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/32656-motorola-partnership-announcement could be what us Google haters were waiting for. GrapheneOS are partnering with Motorola to release devices with first party support for GrapheneOS. This is excellent news for mobile security and privacy. I have long suspected Google have been actively trying to sabotage projects like GrapheneOS, after all data is their product and GrapheneOS actively prevents it falling into their hands. Additionally Google never stated any kind of support or partnership with GrapheneOS, it just so happened that their devices suited the requirements of the project. At any time Google could implement a change (such as removing bootloader unlocking) that would instantly squash any kind of custom ROM on their devices.
Having a formal agreement with a manufacturer almost guarantees the longevity of GrapheneOS, which is music to my ears. I have owned a few Motorola devices over the years, and whilst I’ve liked their minimal bloatware and clean OS I’ve always been disappointed by their lack of software support. 1-2 years is often the maximum they pledge to support their devices, which simply doesn’t compete with offerings from other brands. I assume that having the Graphene team on board will help them to lengthen their support duration too.
The official “X” account for GrapheneOS has stated that the first Motorola device with GrapheneOS support will launch in 2027, stating the 2026 models were unable to meet the hardware requirements. They have also stated that initially they will only support one device, presumably a flagship, that will have 5 years software support.
Unfortunately I had become so disenfranchised with Google and Android that I recently made the switch to iOS with one of their latest offerings, so I won’t be needing another phone for a good few years. However I hope that when the time comes this project and partnership are still going strong so that I have a very secure option to choose from.
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