alt Hacker NewsMotorola GrapheneOS devices will be bootloader unlockable/relockable
Comments
I don't want to gush about this too much, but it's SUCH a big deal. Graphene has languished with hardware support for so long - they basically only had Pixel devices as first-class citizens, which are not bad devices per se, but it's hard when you're spending most of your time doing something without the manufacturer's support.
There is a very real possibility that we end up with devices that can play modern mobile games at high frame rates on a secure, privacy-focused mobile OS, which is a huge step towards general adoption of something like this as a daily driver.
If anyone from Motorola is reading this: Please add a smaller device to your Portfolio, about max the size of a Pixel 8. I'm not hoping for an audio jack any more but at least small it could be.
All in all: Thank you for making this possible.
Not sure how I feel about this. Motorola seems to be the exclusive provider of encrypted cellular networks and associated devices to the Israeli military [1][2].
I'm under the impression that basebands still require a proprietary/binary blob, basically rendering the security features of the underlying Open Source OS useless, since it sits between the user and outside connectivity.
How can GrapheneOS ensure that there are no hidden backdoors (ie: Pegasus-like spyware, which was created by ex-IDF soldiers via NSO Group), etc, in the baseband?
[1] https://www.whoprofits.org/companies/company/3808
[2] https://www.motorolasolutions.com/newsroom/press-releases/mo...
I'm glad to hear that. That means these devices will be a popular target, perhaps the popular target for alternative operating systems both Android-based and non-Android Linux.
If true. And I put a big if on that.
I WILL be buying their flagship model.
My go to for Graphene has been used Pixels from eBay. Because I can’t give money to Google in good conscience.
The enterprise angle makes more sense than consumer. Regulated industries and gov orgs need auditable device stacks, and Pixel being the only viable GrapheneOS hardware was always a fragile dependency for a security-first product. The real question is whether Motorola executes at the hardware partnership level or whether this is a marketing play. 2027 will be telling.
Does anyone know where I can read more about which devices will be supported? GrapheneOS website devices FAQ doesn't list any Motorola devices, and the press release doesn't have much either.
Better marketing is impossible, Motorola has just positioned itself as a very strong buying option.
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
Thank god (or China) for not needing Google devices for Graphene in the future! Motorola devices are 10x more affordable in my country, as Pixel phones aren't even officially here and must be imported with high taxes, while Motorola has official stores and even builds phones locally!
With Motorola being owned by the Chinese company Lenovo can these new devices be used in secure environments? I remember when Lenovo took over making ThinkPads they were banned in some secure environments because of Lenovo links to CCP.
Damn I would love to buy it. In the past I tried different mods trying to get rid of google, the problem was always the same, lot of little annoyances making it very painful for daily usage. A de Googled phone without annoyances and security would be very cool.
Another interesting thing is that I haven't had any reason to buy a new phone in a very long time so we are probably in a time where the hardware is commodotized enough for motorola to be able to ship exactly what I need.
Never thought I would have think of routing for Motorola in 2026 but you never know!
While it's nice to have somewhat of a choice between terrible and bad, we need a Linux based OS that doesn't depend on Google at all.
While I'm at it, I don't trust GrapheneOS. The devs injecting certain types of politics into the project.
But it's better than both Apple and Google who both are known to spy and have tons of backdoors.
The only thing that keeps me from switching to GrapheneOS on my Pixel 10 pro is satellite SOS which isn't supported on GrapheneOS. It's something important to me as I do mountain sports and in some locations there is no network signal.
I know that in the US Verizon and Tmobile customers have access to satellite connectivity and it's possible to get this feature working on a GrapheneOS phone if you are one of their customers, but I am in Europe and European providers don't provide satellite connectivity.
One of the greatest things I miss from Samsung after some time with GrapheneOS is the dex.
The current provided desktop mode is rudimentary, and mostly working. But it has so much potential. We could have all in one device with us, and just plug that into an usb-c dock. Or watch things on big screens in hotels if a mouse emulation on touchscreen like samsung would be supported.
Or, as Samsung already has created this, maybe that could be somehow ported to GrapheneOS via some 3rd party patcher? I'd really like to use samsung clock and gallery, as well, as those are quite a lot better than AOSP ones.
I like GrapheneOS, and the promise of it. Just a few minor things and it would be awesome instead of really good.
The biggest argument for me to buy one of these phones - when they actually arrive - next to running GrapheneOS, will be whether these phones, like all others, are way too big to use with only one hand. Like, I don't have a lot of requirements. Just make it run GrapheneOS and let it be >6 inches. I'll immediately buy it.
There are a couple of apps I use that I kind of need: jb4 and Mando ECS (both for my car). Would be nice if they worked - anyone know?
My S21 FE 5G is still fine (for now), going on 3 years. But I'm sure Samsung will cripple the battery life at some point..
I will be ordering one as soon as they release evenn if its a downgrade, because I want to see this succeed.
I also am willing to suffer lower specs in short term if it benefits me in the long run.
It depends, but it is promising.
If devs can have access to all of the hardware and related documentation and source code, then this is to become very good news.
PCs became popular and widespread because of that: openness.
You know what would be good for security:
Having physical disconnect switches (Bluetooth/Wifi, Modem, Power, Microphone/Speaker), and integrated lens cover like Lenovo laptops (at least for the front camera whereas a case can cover the rear cameras).
On a side-note:
Triple active SIM would be amazing, but one can dream. I would love to have a phone that has an active AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon SIM at the same time.
Given that Google has said they'll be delaying source code release for Android to every X months intervals (iirc), how is GrapheneOS planning to handle security updates? Will they just be Google's binary blobs?
It would be amazing if GrapheneOS would distribute rooted versions of their OS with locked bootloader
Would be super dope if they brought back headphone jack Google teased Samsung over then a year later removed entirely. I haven’t even once considered GrapheneOS since I refuse to go without basic I/O.
I would love to see devices with a non-destroyed (corners cut off, random hole for the front camera) screen.
Can anyone from Motorola confirm that the form submission and time delay requirements will be removed?
> We'll likely be able to make hardened builds of firmware and drivers which can be released in an official way for easy builds without needing to extract anything from the GrapheneOS or Motorola OS factory images.
That's great to see. I'm getting flashbacks of doing the "find the blobs" game years ago with LineageOS.
Motorola reps reading this : I almost bought the Motorola Signature, but changed my mind after hearing of all the adware and crapware that you continuously install on your devices.
If you want to invest into software, this should be #1 of your list.
So, what is Motorola's incentive here? I love it, but why are they pursuing this? It's an enterprise / government play around auditable privacy and security?
Why doesn't someone collaborate with pine64? Chasing after any flavour of android is going to be an exercise in masochism
This is great news - would love to run Sailfish OS on it. Wonder if it can dual boot?
Will this help running Linux mobile OS'es on Motorola phones, like postmarketOS?
If I buy a recent Motorola device, will it be possible to upgrade to Graphene in the future? I'm looking for a new device right now.
Hopefully those Motorola devices will be smaller than Pixels.
I wonder if I'm gonna be able to flash my existing Edge 70.
Do we know if there there be Widevine L1 keys that aren't deleted on unlock? (Certain phones restore access to L1 on bootloader relock, as long as AVB passes, including with custom keys.)
Well, I'll surely be buying a Motorola device when GrapheneOS support lands.
I've been running on several half-working recent android ports to my Xiaomi Mi 9t for many years now.
If I can get a modern phone, modern android, my privacy preserved and a hackable phone (to the extent an unlockable bootloader allows, which isn't a given nowadays, I especially hate how Xiaomi does it), I'm 100% sold.
We'll see when it comes out I guess!
Isn't this just basically what you get out of the box on GrapheneOS?
Whatever this device is is at the top of my list for my next phone.
please remake the motorola flipout, please remake the motorola flipout
Looks like a shoo-in for my next phone!
Related:
Motorola announces a partnership with GrapheneOS
Even though there doesn't seem to be huge mainstream consumer demand for this (although I actually question how well consumer demand for privacy and customization can ever be ascertained when the price signals are corrupted by a market where the winning players are essentially chosen by the state, as is arguably the case with both TSMC and Qualcomm), it still feels like the world simply couldn't go on with both iOS and Android become caged, cheapened, fragile shadows of the visions we once had for them (particularly AOSP).
Can't wait to see the Sailfish/Motorola crossover, honestly.
This is huge and amazing!
Does this have more security, Please let me know share the details
I run a SM-A260F and a SM-T225N wdy think ?, theyre both unsupported even though they have great potential (the first one is very used in my country)
I think this is great news, but I thought GrapheneOS considered unlocked bootloaders to be a terrible security risk? What's changed?
GrapheneOS always strikes me as "perfect is the enemy of good". I don't necessarily need top-notch security features, I've been all right with all kinds of Android phones. The things I'd like are:
- ability to sandbox Google Play and Google Apps so that they live in their nice little Google bubble and have no control over my phone overall
- ability to run all applications sandboxed with fake permissions that I can whitelist for each application and without letting the app know it doesn't have the permissions it wants. Want location? Give the app a location point I've fixed for that app. (Or pass through real GPS location if I've chosen so.) Want contacts? Give the app empty contacts list. Or if I've allowed, give the app the contacts I've whitelisted.
The Android/Google ecosystem is all right in itself, I just want to limit all of it inside a cage that I control. I want the exact same for my browser: I want webpages to run in a highly controlled sandbox with my choice of spoofed environment and permissions instead of assuming any power over my system. Or my Linux desktop where I firejail or sandbox certain proprietary apps outside of my distro's repositories.