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GrapheneOS says Google is making life harder for rival operating systems and devices
(www.androidauthority.com)
this post was submitted on 11 May 2026
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And yet they force people to buy google phones to use their ROM.
At least soon there will be support for Motorola.
I'm sure if other phones met GrapheneOS' security standards, they'd have already ported it to those phones.
Motorola may just be the dam finally breaking on that.
Cannot wait. Hope it has a decent camera.
Also I'd flash that shit myself when it arrives too.
To be honest, I think for the average user most ROMs are more than secure enough. And from a privacy perspective a lot of the de googled ones are very good.
Grapheme has almost a cult following in a way that its all or nothing.
I'd rather give up a bit on security while preserving privacy, if it means my money does not support terrible companies.
Then get a fairphone and load /e/OS or something else like that? GrapheneOS on Pixels aren't the only degoogled option. GrapheneOS makes it clear that their priority is security, so if you're willing to compromise on that then GOS likely isn't for you.
That is exactly what I have. I am not willing to compromise my ethical values and to give money to a truly evil company.
I just find it hypocritical that GOS requires Google made phones and at the same time says its a bad company.
The hardware is hardware, my guy. Most people running desktop linux are using hardware mainly comprised from the work of companies with shitty reputations.
GOS has a set of required specs to ensure the security it's famous for, and the pixel happened to meet them due to their developer-focused design implementations. Luckily, Motorola can now see the economic opportunity of leaning into that as well.
Agreed, and until the Moto Graphene phone drops one can just buy a used Pixel from a trusted marketplace like Swappa, and no money goes to Google from that used device sale. Save money and keep a perfectly good used phone out of a landfill at the same time.
It's a hardware issue. No other phones had the security features required. This is why they partnered with Motorola, to get away from Google hardware..
Graphene user, not part of this cult you speak of. I used to be solid tinfoil hat but now I try to balance between security / privacy and convenience because it was all too exhausting.
Years ago I switched from lineage to Graphene because the Graphene experience was much smoother. Installs, updates, options, it's all just easier. Granted the last install was a pita as funny enough they required chrome for the install. Aside from that it's been so smooth that when my partner kept asking for a new phone, I had them agree on letting me install Graphene. I would have went with fairphone but I can't put something on their phone that I have yet to use. Graphene is solid, stable, and for the most part usable. There's a few minor things out doesn't do like customizations and slight compatibility issues but in relation to what it provides is an acceptable trade off for the time being.
All this to say Graphene has their place for non cult users.
I get that. And I did not want to generalise so much but I guess I did.
I do think its the minority of Grapheme users that are culty to be fair. And the main GOS dev from what I've seen online.
In terms of smoothness, my wife is very non techy and immediately gets frustrated when tech doesn't work. She (and I) uses a Fairphone 6 with e/os and the experience is very smooth.
Are you using those in the US? When I needed to get a new phone they still weren't available here, but I'm hoping that has changed or changes by the time I need a new one again
No, I'm in Europe
But "give up a bit on security" doesnt preserve privacy that's the whole thing.
Also them being hypocritical for suggesting pixels isn't really true, its the only unlockable device where you can relock the bootloader afterwards which is necessary for the asbolute maximum security of the OS. *and also has secure element, among other important requirements for security.
Motorola will change this.
I personally don't cut corners when it comes to security and I don't think anyone should honestly.
I gotta disagree with this. GrapheneOS has bought into the crappy smart phone threat model, but the most obvious way to preserve my privacy is to give me complete control over my device and let me tailor it as I see fit. This means root. GrapheneOS doesn't allow root access and that's horrible for privacy.
Sent from my GrapheneOS phone
Root access is tricky because it can be less secure overall but I guess this is dependent on your use case.
I think you can still do it but you have to edit the rom beforehand so yeah not out of the box.
I once again cannot disagree more strongly. This is the BS that has been pushed by the mobile phone world. It couldn't be more wrong. Well designed root access to your own device would dramatically increase its security for those who chose to use it.
Here are a few things you simply cannot do on a phone and would be considered terrible in any other context:
There is so much more. I can't even imagine calling a device I had no root access to "secure" in a personal threat model. Business? Sure. Personal? God no. Not even close.
This is in addition to the privacy benefits.
If your threat model is a state actor breaking through your phone's TPM then sure, but for most people escaping the google ecosystem is by far the biggest need in terms of privacy/security
Note: IDK exactly what graphene needs hardware wise, don't quote me. Point is, there's such a thing as "good enough"
It's not the only device you can relock the bootloader. I am typing from a Fairphone using e/os with a bootloader I locked after installing it.
I don't cut corners on my morals, so will never give money to google. Even indirectly by buying second hand and making their phones more attractive to buy.
Ah I see that they have decided to support it now with the fairphone 4 which is awesome. Before that you had to use google test keys to do it.
It still lacks a secure element which is pretty important for security and privacy. It also lags behind on security updates.
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44375865
That's a good discussion about it.
I respect not giving money to google though but I can't cut corners on security even if it means I have to go into the belly of the beast myself.
I'll be very relieved when the Motorola GOS phone drops
Graphene was my introduction to degoogling and I chose it because I was already familiar with the Pixel. Also that I had no idea what I was doing and their articles are clear to read. I did find it silly that I needed Google hardware but I just bought it secondhand instead of new/full price for 'do evil' Google profit.
I can totally get that. Things can be very confusing the first time around.
Well, eventually when you need a new phone, might I suggest a Fairphone with e/os?
Yes you may suggest! I've been vaguely glancing at the Fairphone with e/os from time to time, to keep in mind for the future.
This rhetoric is not OK.
Obviously security is important, but so is not financially aiding and abetting your enemy.
Graphene people are deeply unserious if they can't understand the urgency of both points.
GrapheneOS needs to settle on the 2nd most secure system after Google, if Google is really the #1.
Cut Google's hardware out NOW.
The only thing worse than no security is a false sense of security. It's better for someone to know they're using an untrustworthy device than to find out the hard way.
If other phones can't provide an acceptable baseline level of security, the GrapheneOS devs are correct to not support them. Yes, it sucks that the only phones supported are Google Pixels. They have a partnership with Motorola to create a non-Google alternative.
If you still don't like it, fork it.
Is security of hardware pass or fail? And only Pixel passes while all other phones fail?
What makes Pixel so drastically preferrable?
I am starting to doubt GrapheneOS judgement here.
You're saying even the 2nd best phone is a fail. I don't buy it. Can a security researcher please comment?
That's called Lineage. GOS is purposely the most secure possible.
Force is a bit much. They are using an existing set of tools to build their OS.
Many ROMs do that and allow you to install in a large number of phones from different manufacturers. For now, if you want GOS, you are forced to get a google phone.
There is a reason for that. The single-rom-for-multiple-phones idea does t really make practical sense for a security-focused ROM. It has different design pressures. Right now they are rationing their resources are targeting specific hardware. They are already branching out with other vendors but that’s going to take time to do right.