https://www.notebookcheck.net/Leaked-documents-show-Google-planned-and-then-cut-a-key-Pixel-11-security-feature-for-GrapheneOS.1382732.0.html seems Google did it intentionally towards GOS maybe?
this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2026
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Privacy
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Would they really tank their own operating systems security for millions of people to "own" a few thousand graphene os users?
0.5 million GOS , but it would make all pegasus targets easier, no matter the OS. but AI slop sure definitely a factor , but they also cut out a lot of the business sector that way. A lot burnt by removing it , must be more gains than what could be countered with an increase elsewhere in performance.
I thinks there's a bit much doom and gloom right now.
If new pixels don't support GrapheneOS that will suck.
If Motorola comes thru with GrapheneOS support next year, we will be back to where we are now. 1 manufacture, but at least it won't be google anymore. Yes, its only on their flagship, but hardware trickles down within a few years. I'd be surprised if the whole 2030 line up isn't supported (assuming they don't drop the ball).
In my option, if anyone has an older phone, they should consider getting a new or used 9 or 10 to get through the next few years, while we wait and see what happens.
support linux on phones.
The country where i live in is already in dark days. Gov apps don't work in graphene Os neither banking, we only have the standard OS to live with
Really? Even in own profile with gapps and memery sacurity features off? I Would be interesting to see how they pulled that off
Google SafetyNet checks, probably.
Ah yea ofc.. https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/14859-play-integrity-after-2025/7 I would consider root at that point , despite it's security implications..
Can you give some examples of activities that are locked behind government apps? And for those activities, can you not print a document and mail it in, or visit your government's office in person? I realize this may be specific to your country, but I'm curious what kinds of scenarios I should watch out for in my own country. Thanks!
E wallets are the biggest.
Don't worry, civilisation will be gone before Pixel 10 stops being supported.
The other big thing for me is carrier unlocked and also still supporting physical SIM.
Hoping the Motorola flagship meets those criteria.
Pen and micro SD for me.
Motorola is only targeting the flagship market for their compatible phones, we’re looking at truly dark days ahead.
What's wrong with Motorola?
Not complaining about Motorola, just about flagship phones in general. I assume (incorrectly, maybe?) that the vast majority of people use their phones for light browsing, social media, etc. and don't need flagship features. Having to pay a flagship premium would suck... especially when all I really want is my Pixel 4a5g back lol.
Graphene requires flagship hardware.
I don’t mean like graphene as it stands now requires flagship hardware, I mean that graphene as a concept requires what is priced and treated as flagship hardware.
Compare the processors in flagship phones and those in gimmies by looking at their supported features and you’ll see a significant difference not just in cores and cache and onboard memory but in actual documentation and support for the kinds of hardware features (like memory tagging as referenced in this post) that graphene relies on.
Flagship phones don’t integrate and support these features because the manufacturers would like to give you what you’re paying for, it’s because meeting the needs of organizations that require them for their device fleet is profitable. If that component of phone design and engineering didn’t exist then everything would be Samsung whose device line can be fully differentiated by their screen sizes, camera features, screen resolutions and battery lives.
At the gimmie end of the spectrum it is already like that even for iphones although not as much.
Google was using the pixel line as a reference implementation of the Android platform, with their goal of providing device manufacturers something to measure their own work against and pay attention to to the function of so their android os wouldn’t become a flash in the pan and they could extend onto mobile use as a company. Android use grew significantly and they had to shift to using the pixel line as a trellis for a vigorous garden plant.
Bizarrely the pixel line was a money loser or a breakeven proposal for Google for several years. When you think about it that makes sense: they’re not playing the same game as the other Android manufacturers (make the cheapest thing, sell the cheapest thing!) so of course they’re not going to be looking good by the metric you use to measure that. The new Android phones represent a break with that plan and an attempt to move to competing directly with other major manufacturers so now their phones aren’t any good for graphene just like the Samsungs of the world.
Now a person might say “why can’t the damn phone companies just give us a gimmie phone with advanced security features we want?!” Well such a thing is possible but it would be a money loser from the drawing board and wouldn’t fit easily into the rubric of phone sales and tie up a shit ton of resources and time. So even if someone at a hardware company decided to do that their boss would shitcan the project asap.
That same person might say “well why can’t graphene support a gimmie phone?!” And that a great question too but it would mean diving into hardware that doesn’t have the capacity to meet the bar graphene has set for itself in terms of security. Hopefully the person who started that project would stop themselves when they recognize the situation.
We're talking about security features here, not processing speed. There's no excuse for even the cheapest SoCs not to support them. Withholding them from the bottom end of the lineup is pure product differentiation (a.k.a. profiteering, a.k.a. spite and contempt).
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True. The flagship thing makes it a bit out of reach for me.
The flagship thing just makes it daft for me, a phone is just a phone for some of us. I have a pc.
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Its because its only going to be flagship models. Kinda shitty if you ask me because this will put GOS out of reach for alot of people because alot of people cant afford $1,000-$2,000 phones. Google is probably going to make Pixels locked at some point, making them not able to have GOS flashed onto future models anymore. I love GOS but it really makes me wonder the route that GOS is starting to take, making it less accessible for the average person anymore. Pretty sure money is involved.
How would money be involved?
It's not like GOS is in a position to force device manufacturers to open the bootloader and have strengthened hardware, let alone make phone prices accessible. The best they can do is kindly ask a manufacturer to do so and hope that they agree (which Motorola have technology-wise).
And if it's a money issue for people, then buying the newest pixel phone is still not cheap (~1k+). And most privacy advocates recommend buying the phone used and with cash so it's not associated with your bank details.
Sure the other issue is Motorlla does not have very good software support. So how long is GOS going to support these devices? One, two years? Since even Pixels they only support for the support time of the manufacture.
GOS requirements state that its at least 5 years.
On your first part, maybe you're right.
On the second part, so many Pixel devices are available used. Including older pixels that still have some support left. A new $1500 flagship Motorola won't be and the ones that do become used soon after will still be close to that price. I'm just saying I've bought quite a few used Pixels for just a few hundred dollars and I don't see that being the case for flagship Motorolas. It's great to have device options but I don't think GOS being locked to only flagship Motorolas is a great alternative, especially once Google locks Pixels out from being flashed.
People who are security-minded for the most part just want a device to handle daily tasks, etc. Not all the bells whistles of an expensive high-end phone. If thats what people want in their phone, that's great, everyone has their need or desires for what they want in a phone but that being the only option will put GOS out of reach for many.
I'm a bit confused with your own words
People who are security-minded for the most part just want a device to handle daily tasks, etc. Not all the bells whistles of an expensive high-end phone.
Buying a used and old Pixel (as old as 7) will be an option for many years since GOS will continue to support.
My confusion is that you argue against flagship phone (and we'll have to see how true the assumption is on cost and if it will even be flagship) while also saying that people won't buy it anyways because they prefer the cheaper older used phones.
Edit: I do want to add, I'm not sure why people assume it will be only on a flagship model. Most forums mention that GOS would be applicable to 3 models: the Signature, Razr Fold and Razr Ultra models (all with varying costs and some comparable to the newest Pixel).
GOS developers already confirmed it will be the 2027 flagship models. Yes, 3 models varying in price from $1K-$2.5K.
I said that the majority of GOS users, being security-minded just want their phone to be secure and handle daily tasks, not being a high-end gaming phone. I'm not against the Motorolas, its great because it offers more options to use GOS. I'm against the fact that its only going to be the expensive flagship models and Google is making it harder to put GOS on newer Pixels and eventually we won't be able to anymore. Being able to buy used Pixels cheap is a big thing because it allowed for the average person or someone with not alot of money to easily have a secure GOS phone. That won't be likely once Pixels are done and only expensive Motorola flagship models are the only option.
I don't know man. Just checked a used Motorola RAZR from last year and it costs 600$, which is on par with the pixel price reduction. And I think the RAZR is one of the models that will have GOS
Then that wouldn't be as bad. We'll just have to wait and see. I just hope it doesn't start putting GOS out of reach for alot of people.
They said flagship models will go first as cheaper ones will take more time to be elevated to the standards/requirements.
Nobody knows what Qualcomm well due. They could remove the memory tagging like Google has.
They're the second biggest producer of flock style cameras
In 2011, Motorola split into two companies, each with rights to the Motorola name and logo.
Motorola Mobility took the business lines related to cell phones. It got bought by Google, and then Lenovo.
Motorola Solutions took the business lines related to everything else, including (and especially) radios for law enforcement, fire departments, militaries, and surveillance video tech.
I think that the camera part and the smartphone part are two separate companies that got split some time ago
These Linux phones suddenly don’t sound too appealing.
what's right with motorola?
I always had great experiences with their devices, mostly just plain and simple AOSP skin with little garbage
I don't know. I am just asking.
If they're going to skip a generation this would be the one.
Assuming MTE makes a comeback in future generations...
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