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?
Hey mate, don’t need one of the Motorola’s, buy a second hand pixel, I’ve got a 6 and a 10 pro (soon to be converted to GOS now that there are stable builds since it’s my daily).
It’s a bit of a shock compared to stock android but you’ll actually feel like you own and control your phone again (like I do here on the pixel 6), but you’ll lose features like the scam block, hold for me etc. that the stock OS does).
The onus becomes on you to keep the device secure, you can do another user profile to install stuff you want separate and it works nicely. It’s all sandboxed and asks your consent before giving any permissions to an app, like android used to.
Any non Google phone running graphene would be epic.
I had completely forgotten Lenovo bought Motorola from Google some 10 years ago. Honestly haven’t seen a Motorola phone in at least that long …
maybe my next phone will be a Motorola.
My last few phones have been Motorolas and I’ve been very very happy with them.
My only issue was that back then, I wasn’t really paying attention to alternative OSs like Graphene, Lineage or e/os and was therefore not really too concerned with ROM support/chip set. When I switched over to e/os, two of my Motorola’s (including the one I WANT to use with it) has no ROM support because it’s running a Mediatek chipset. So I’m using my second to last one while my nice new one collects dust.
Moving forward I’ll be paying more attention to Qualcomm vs Mediatek.
yeah i might focus on Android phones that have Good ROM/ support
i think their graphene OS powered phone will have bootloader unlocking.i hope Google does not take away Sideloading. (but i think graphene returns it)
i bought a mororolla 3 years ago and it still lasts 2 days on a charge. id say go for it.
i gotta see first if Motorola/Lenovo will actually ship graphene OS and other factors.
they dont sound like bad phones and even better with this collab
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.
Can someone ELI5 me what’s so special about Google’s SoCs that no other manufacturer could do (preferably citing sources not involved)?
I still find it weird that a major manufacturer would bother with a ROM.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.
Nice try officer.
If you’re worried about police getting your data you’re already using GrapheneOS on a Pixel device. This is good news for you because you will have more options when changing phones in the future but not really a game changer in any way.
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.
But how is that significantly more secure than LineageOS? I have read through countless blog posts from GrapheneOS developers and have not yet encountered an explanation that is sufficiently convincing. Outside of additional security hardening, which is definitely a big pro, GrapheneOS doesn’t have many things that LineageOS doesn’t. LineageOS is fully FOSS and telemetry-free. They introduced the “Trust” control panel for managing all sorts of privacy and security matters. They have PIN scramble.
The only major, obvious security vulnerability lies in the proprietary driver blobs from the device vendors / OEMs. But AFAIK Google Pixels also have those, right? So outside of doubtlessly valuable measures like restricting malicious reprogramming / access through the USB port, in what ways is GrapheneOS actually more secure than LineageOS?
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.
Fair point. I really do wish it were more than “Pixel, or MotorolaSoonTM” for hardware choices. Who knows, though. Maybe other manufacturers will join the party.
This is great news. While I still think we should make a push towards Linux phones being mainstream so that we don’t keep this duopoly on OSes, it’s nice to know that at least one manufacturer is currently defying googles obvious goal of suppressing third party ROMs and marketplaces.
Thanks for the reality check. While this a good development, I share your concern and we should not stop,or even slow, developing any fully free as in freedom OS. I tried PostmarketOS on an old Oneplus 6T recently and I estimate we have one or two more phone replacement cycles until I think it’ll be ready for me to switch.
I have a 6T and was thinking about getting postmarketos on it, what didn’t work for you? Which “desktop” did you choose for it? there’s like 5 options for that and I really have no idea what to do.
I have a 6T and was thinking about getting postmarketos on it, what didn’t work for you? Which “desktop” did you choose for it? there’s like 5 options for that and I really have no idea what to do.
I used KDE because that’s what I use on desktop. I hear some of the others are further along. Flashing was easy. I could not set up my SMB shares in dolphin and if it wont talk to my NAS, it’s not terribly useful to me. I will play around some more with it sooner or later. I believe I used Android- tools on Linux to send the partitions via fastboot commands. It was a 2 gen old phone for me (had the OP9 after it) so I wasn’t worried about anything going wrong. Feel free to shoot me a DM if you get stuck and have a specific question. I will try to help.
Volla phone (has choice between ubuntu touch and android rom) seems pretty cool.
Let’s see if it gets released before GrapheneOS and unlockable bootloader get outlawed
OEM, they can lock the bootloader. So at least there’s that
That’s the point, right? Google is trying to lock down Android even more, and third party vendors can see the increasing risk. If they fork now, they can maybe undercut the increasing monopoly efforts.
They spotted an opportunity
Good. Now if only they could make the Edge+ with the same relative spec sheet and ditch the curved glass in 2027. I’d buy it in a heartbeat for Graphene. My next phone WAS going to be a Pixel for the broader case/screen protector support, but that would make me reconsider cause I would really miss the chop chop flashlight.
Good. Now if only they could make the Edge+ with the same relative spec sheet and ditch the curved glass in 2027. I’d buy it in a heartbeat for Graphene. My next phone WAS going to be a Pixel for the broader case/screen protector support, but that would make me reconsider cause I would really miss the chop chop flashlight.
Well, fuck. I really hoped they would pick FairPhone. Motorola is… Okay. I guess they made the Nexus 5 ; which was one of the best phones ever.
I hope they make a SMALL one, I am so tired of this GIGANTIC pixel 9.
Motorola gets a little bit of love from me because they were (maybe still are?) the only ones who allowed me to shout “COMRADE MOTO!” to wake my phone up
I will not say “Hey Google” in a million years. I refuse.
SOVIET ANTHEM PLAYS IN THE BACKGROUND
Actually LG made the Nexus 5, Moto did the Nexus 6, developed while Google owned Motorola and released a few weeks after Lenovo bought them.
Depending on your definition of ‘small’, your only hope might be if they did Razr and you used it folded up. That’s credibly small, though I don’t know if Graphene would be game for bothering to do that sort of multiple display work.
If I can get GrapheneOS + headphone jack + SD card slot, I am in.
Android seems intent on creating a huge market for this. Chef’s kiss!
But how are they going to include useless “uninstallable” apps and advertisements?
Grapheneos is a pretty attractive selling point for a phone. They could even make money the old fashioned way: by selling phones.
Probably they will not support it for budget phones
Supposedly the article says that Motorola will be implementing “some” of the features from GrapheneOS in some of their other phones. So whilst not GrapheneOS proper, you still might see some graphenOS like/lite type stuff on budget phones.
which is fine, I mean, you’d want decent specs + a secure OS in this day and age
Not everyone want one tho, i saw people saying that they use 200€ motorola phones, tbh i am using a 230€ tablet and it’s fine for normal tasks and drawing
yeah, I was looking at the Moto G15 for my next phone, but with this news, I’m considering waiting a little longer for a better OS
I’m on a second generation of Motorola phones. I gave them a shot with the 2020 g power and upgraded to the 2023 edge+. The g power was fine for about 2 years but then I really began to feel the brunt of having such a underperforming chipset. I’d definitely suggest getting something that’s more in the midrange price bracket given my experience. My advice so take it or leave it.
I’m on a second generation of Motorola phones. I gave them a shot with the 2020 g power and upgraded to the 2023 edge+. The g power was fine for about 2 years but then I really began to feel the brunt of having such a underperforming chipset. I’d definitely suggest getting something that’s more in the midrange price bracket given my experience. My advice so take it or leave it.
You don’t need high specs these days. I was looking at the Moto G 2024, because it’s the latest version to support Lineage OS, and it has a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, I think it is, which is actually just slightly better than my OnePlus Nord N200 on Geekbench, which is fine.
The main difference is that my OnePlus Nord N200 was released in 2021, and it has a lower geekbench score than the Moto G 2024, which was released in 2024, with a lower-end chip. But my OnePlus cost $300, where the G24 was released at $200, and is now available for $130.
So at its release, I would have gotten more storage and a better CPU for $100 less, and now it would be $170 less.
You don’t need high specs these days. I was looking at the Moto G 2024, because it’s the latest version to support Lineage OS, and it has a Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, I think it is, which is actually just slightly better than my OnePlus Nord N200 on Geekbench, which is fine.
The main difference is that my OnePlus Nord N200 was released in 2021, and it has a lower geekbench score than the Moto G 2024, which was released in 2024, with a lower-end chip. But my OnePlus cost $300, where the G24 was released at $200, and is now available for $130.
So at its release, I would have gotten more storage and a better CPU for $100 less, and now it would be $170 less.
I mean, they could still include those on the base model of the phone, but just officially support flashing Graphene for those who want to do it. I am reasonably certain the target markets for pre-installed apps/ads and people who would be interested in flashing Graphene are completely separate groups. Kind of like how a stock Pixel is basically Google/Gemini Spyware, but Thayer doesn’t matter to someone who buys one to install Graphene.
Motorola doesn’t have to sell apps. Apps sell themselves. And an App Store that isn’t riddled with crap is appealing to everyone.
I mean, they could still include those on the base model of the phone, but just officially support flashing Graphene for those who want to do it. I am reasonably certain the target markets for pre-installed apps/ads and people who would be interested in flashing Graphene are completely separate groups. Kind of like how a stock Pixel is basically Google/Gemini Spyware, but Thayer doesn’t matter to someone who buys one to install Graphene.
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.
Hello Moto!
SailfishOS runs in Jolla phones (linux) and PostmarketOS is doing strides.
Unfortunately, SailfishOS is not FOSS, and FOSS must be the basis of all trust, or else you have no idea to tell what kind of software (spyware) the vendor is operating on your phone. At least Jolla is starting to open-source some traditionally proprietary components.
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!
My biggest concern is the life cycle of the device. I almost went with Motorola for my last phone, but saw that you were lucky to get 3 years of OS updates. Is that likely to be better on GrapheneOS? If so, that is a huge win imo. If not, it still isn’t ideal because I don’t want to have to buy a new phone every 2 years…
GrapheneOS was claiming 5-year support IIRC. Apple level support is infeasible. Not sure how affordable longer firmware support from Qualcomm is.
but saw that you were lucky to get 3 years of OS updates.
fucking great, less enshittification when they stop shoving the updates down your throat.
Yea, except you aren’t getting security updates either… Basically anything connected to the internet should be getting security updates…
Yea, except you aren’t getting security updates either… Basically anything connected to the internet should be getting security updates…
