The most private Android leaves Pixel exclusivity. GrapheneOS is coming to Motorolas

There was a certain irony in how the most well-known privacy-oriented Android has worked so far. You wanted to get rid of Google services, and therefore you had to buy a phone from Google – GrapheneOS has such strict hardware requirements that practically only Pixels met them. That is now changing, and the project has clarified how.

First time for a clamshell too

In a Mastodon thread, the project confirmed that the collaboration with Motorola will not be limited to classic phones. In addition to a regular flagship, which will be the initial focus, it plans support for both Razr Fold and Razr Ultra.

The latter is more interesting than it seems. GrapheneOS already runs on book-style foldables – it supports the original Pixel Fold, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. However, a vertically folding clamshell would be an entirely new format that the project has never dealt with before. The team itself mentions that a closed clamshell is pleasantly small and easy to operate with one hand.

Why it won’t be immediate and why not with current models

Anyone looking at a 2026 Razr now with the intention of installing GrapheneOS on it is out of luck. Current models only serve as an indication of the direction hardware is heading – they will not receive support.

They lack two things: Memory Tagging Extension (MTE) and sufficient integration of a security element, i.e., features that Pixels have. According to the project, Motorola is incorporating these into its 2027 models, and the fact that the next generation of Snapdragon chips is expected to handle MTE better will also help. Support will therefore start in 2027, beginning with the regular flagship.

Seven years of updates and Motorola engineers

A condition for support is seven years of system updates, a benchmark that only a handful of manufacturers meet in Android today. Furthermore, Motorola is doing a large part of the porting work itself and has assigned its own people to it. Interestingly, according to the project, it does not receive any money from the manufacturer.

Behind this decision is a quite fundamental shift in thinking. GrapheneOS has long argued that keeping up with major Android versions is essential for delivering security patches – and that it’s becoming increasingly difficult on Pixels. The collaboration with Motorola is intended to allow releases to be prepared in advance so that they are ready on the day a new Android version is released. The project also plans to host AOSP repositories itself for this reason.

However, there is one drawback. The first phones with GrapheneOS support are expected to be more expensive than Pixels, so it won’t be a cheaper entry into the world of private Android for now. Support for Pixels will continue regardless, and the Pixel 11 series is also planned.

Have you ever tried GrapheneOS, or is the manufacturer’s overlay sufficient for you?

Sources: 9to5Google, Notebookcheck, BigGo