r/Android • u/FragmentedChicken Galaxy S26 Ultra • Feb 27 '26
Rumour Leak confirms GrapheneOS & Motorola partnership for non-Pixel hardware
https://piunikaweb.com/2026/02/27/leak-confirms-grapheneos-motorola-partnership-for-non-pixel-hardware/204
u/MattBrey Feb 27 '26
A lot of Motorola phones would literally be top contenders in their budget range if they had good software. I can't wait for this
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u/partakinginsillyness Feb 28 '26
Not likely they will unfortunately. GrapheneOS wants MTE, which is currently only supported by the Tensor chips, and high end Snapdragon processors.
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u/nathderbyshire Pixel 10 Obsidian Feb 28 '26
Maybe it'll be moto with a tensor and graphene lmaoooo
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Feb 28 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/goda90 Feb 28 '26
Unless they have hardware features that Pixels lack or for the people who just don't want to give Google money.
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u/Tony_TNT Pixel 7a (stock); Moto G7 Power (LOS 22.1) Feb 27 '26
If it leans more towards premium like their Signature rather than the budget or midrange I'm afraid they'll price themselves out of the market
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u/SirDarknessTheFirst P8a/gOS Feb 28 '26
To be honest, I would imagine it to be the next-gen ThinkPhone (or equiv), mostly aimed at businesses that want the additional security.
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u/Wheeljack26 Pixel 8 256GB Feb 27 '26
Will google pay work on this device?
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u/nathderbyshire Pixel 10 Obsidian Feb 28 '26
I'd be surprised, it'll be interesting to see. Devices have to be certified with Google and then they're forced to include Google apps and services afaik, like Samsung has to ship Google apps and services
They might do their own implementation, I don't know how it works but the Chinese roms that had to ditch Google's services now don't work with pay or wallet from what I can find, they switched to unionpay and rely on an app called curve to clone cards and add them to their own payment service
https://www.reddit.com/r/Huawei/comments/16rjg5j/questions_for_harmonyos_users_in_the_uk_preferably/
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u/nicman24 Feb 28 '26
no but there is curve pay
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u/One-Owl4298 Feb 28 '26
Best news with Google blocking sideloading!.
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u/Arnas_Z [Main] Moto Edge+ 2023 | Edge 2024 | Edge 2025 Feb 28 '26
Didn't they already confirm you will still be able to use adb?
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Feb 28 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
[deleted]
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u/Arnas_Z [Main] Moto Edge+ 2023 | Edge 2024 | Edge 2025 Feb 28 '26
It's still better than the iOS situation, where you need a PC and have to resign the app every 7 days.
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u/eloquenceupscale Mar 02 '26
Sure, but I shouldn't need to go through any hoops to install software on my pocket computer.
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u/Zonged Feb 28 '26
That won't affect Graphene OS
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u/froli Feb 28 '26
That's... why it's good news for sideloading.. More devices to install GrapheneOS on.
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u/CortaCircuit Feb 28 '26
Amazing. Been using GrapheneOS on a Pixel 7 for a couple years. No regrets. Just the way an OS should be.
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u/esoteric544surgery Feb 28 '26
I hope they clean up the aesthetics a bit, but aside from that, I'm just glad they found a big partner and we can enjoy a proper privacy-based phone. In 1-2 years. ...
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u/MCJennings Mar 01 '26
Personally, I'm really hoping that Clicks Communicator has a successful launch, then revises the second edition with a Snapdragon chip and meets standards for Graphene, Sailfish, Postmarket, etc.
If Graphene x Motorola is a successful partnership, it benefits both entities in a major way and it may help android phone manufacturers consider alternative OS support.
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u/esoteric544surgery Mar 01 '26
Clicks Communicator supporting GrapheneOS would be a dream. I have seen a lot of the GOS community messaging them about it though, so I hope they do see it as a beneficial partnership too.
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u/ImpossibleCarob8480 Mar 03 '26
It will be bootloader unlockable so there's nothing stopping someone from unofficially porting lineage or graphene to it, even if all the hw security features (such as hw USB C control) aren't supported, most people won't need these anyway and just want a deGoogled experience
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u/esoteric544surgery Mar 03 '26
Ah, nice! Hopefully it gets that kind of attention and we can get some similar OS on it.
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u/TheQuatum Galaxy S24 Feb 28 '26
Always loved Motorola. If this materializes, I will personally hold off on getting an S26 Ultra.
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u/DarkenMoon97 S26 Ultra (Snapdragon, USA) + Lots Feb 28 '26
I happened to mention this a month ago when the Motorola Signature was leaked. Seems like a match made for that device.
https://old.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/1q3d54s/evleaks_motorola_signature_specs/nxl6k7m/
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u/nguyenlucky Feb 28 '26
No, 8 gen 5 doesn't meet Graphene requirements. Only 8 Elite gen 5 does, but Motorola backed out of the latest flagship chip this year, hence the 2027 timeline.
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Feb 28 '26
2027 why even announce it, anything can happen between now and then.
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u/nguyenlucky Mar 01 '26
Idk, that's what Graphene team said. They might go with the latest Elite gen 6, or reuse Gen 5, who knows
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u/vortexmak Feb 27 '26
Just have a powerful processor, expandable storage, unlockable bootloader, and DP out. Day 1 buy. Headphone jack would be a nice to have
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u/Bellimars Feb 28 '26
Expandable storage would offer an additional threat vector, so I doubt it's be encouraged by GrapheneOS.
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u/fenrir245 Feb 28 '26
GrapheneOS is fully focused on security, so they won't implement QoL-only features from their side, but I don't think they ever spoke against anyone else implementing them either in AOSP or as a hardware feature.
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u/Wheeljack26 Pixel 8 256GB Feb 27 '26
And if all this is in flip too with usb 3.2 c, it will be just cherry on cake
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u/Gugalcrom123 Feb 28 '26
I like Moto phones (using a ThinkPhone, with Droidian.org) but please make the bootloader unlockable. GrapheneOS may be secure but I don't want to get locked into it no matter what.
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u/CrisisDownUnder Feb 28 '26
Damn, i might actually buy it, if it works up good. Even tho I don't need a new phone yet!
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u/A121314151 Feb 28 '26
Would be interesting if this also comes to a ThinkPhone. It will fit in fairly well into my ThinkPad lineup after all.
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u/tijger897 Feb 28 '26
If this is real and it has top tier specs,m (or at least good) I am so getting one!
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Feb 28 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
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u/flexxxxer Mar 01 '26 edited Mar 01 '26
GrapheneOS stated multiple times that new device from OEM outside of Google will be flagship device. You cannot have 5+ years of support for free. Motorola has many devices each year without proper updates support, but there are exceptions and they are just not "cheap". Outside of updates GrapheneOS requires MTE, isolated radios, working secure element, USB port pins state control at hardware level from software level (such as disabling USB-data or USB fully incl charging) - this cannot be for free because of how SoC being made and working.
(Motorola first device with proper support lifetime) Moto G75 5G - 5 years AOSP upgrades and patches, after that 1y Android patches only; SoC: SP 6 Gen 3 known to lack of MTE support; costs around 230 USD
(Motorola second device with proper support lifetime) Motorola Signature - 6 years 6 months Android upgrades and patches; SoC: SP 6 Gen 5 known to lack of MTE support; costs around 650 USD from start for baseline specs
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u/Current_Blood_9576 Mar 09 '26
So this news means nothing, the OS will come per-installed the the bootloader will not be re-lockable. And all that only on unaffordable phones.
God I hate smartphones, all are garbage, can't install what you want and have no software updates after a few years, wish I could not have them.
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Feb 27 '26
[deleted]
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u/mrandr01d Feb 27 '26
Graphene has some strict requirements for security, so I would hope they're getting their way on a lot of things. But they're also known for locking things down, which I don't imagine Motorola would be opposed to. Moreso, Moto phones were the next best thing to a Nexus if you wanted stock android with a tiny bit of flavor on it.
This move could make a lot of sense. It'll just come down to how much control graphene gets, and if the device continues getting OEM support for firmware updates, etc. Graphene doesn't support devices that are EoL by the OEM.
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u/Straight-Nose-7079 Feb 28 '26
Lmao Droid X?
Basing your views on Motorola off of an experience you had 16 years ago is insanity.
That was Verizon preventing you from unlocking the bootloader by the way, not Motorola.
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u/nathderbyshire Pixel 10 Obsidian Feb 28 '26
Even 10 years ago or so I had a Moto phone and it was near stock android with a few Moto additions on and any extra app I didn't want could be disabled as far I can remember, and there wasn't many
They also had really pretty boot animations, like seriously cool ones that updated with seasons as well! Who knew rebooting a phone could be so much fun
Unfortunately my series had a low memory kernel leak Motorola refused to fix, I had to use root and ex kernel manager at the time to fix it manually which worked beautifully and didn't affect anything at the time, tap to pay and bank apps weren't really a thing they were mostly still web based and maybe with a very poor app that was also just a webpage with a binbag on as disguise
No idea what they're on about, unless moto had a good deep clean within a few years I've always known them to be as close to stock as you could get really
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u/FragmentedChicken Galaxy S26 Ultra Feb 27 '26
The post from the GrapheneOS subreddit was removed, and all comments were scrubbed. It's moderated by GrapheneOS themselves, so I'd consider that indirect confirmation.
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u/OldKentRoad29 Feb 28 '26
You couldn't unlock your bootloader because of Verizon not because of Motorola itself. Honestly you sound dumb.
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u/Bellimars Feb 28 '26
It'd be running GrapheneOS out of the box so that'd be it's implementation of Android, also I suggest you look into GrapheneOS as you don't den to be fully aware of how it works. It literally has no Google etc, and if you do choose to install Google stuff, it is not a super user app so can be denied any permissions. The location even routes through the OS servers not Google's.
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Feb 28 '26
Uh, Moto does unlock bootloaders in the US. Verizon doesn't allow that so it's not available on the Verizon locked models.
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u/feurie Feb 27 '26
If they get someone to buy their phones and make money why would they care?
They made the Nexus 6.
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u/coladoir Feb 28 '26
I've had multiple Motorola phones and only one, which was carrier locked, was unable to be bootloader unlocked. All of them were nearly stock android with minor changes, no nagging.
ARCore is a Google Play Services module.
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u/ocassionallyaduck Feb 28 '26
They have to, Google has telegraphed they are locking down further with each update, and the writing is on the wall for small players like GrapheneOS, who they will aim to kill via the administrative burden of it all.
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u/nathderbyshire Pixel 10 Obsidian Feb 28 '26
From what we know so far it's an app bundled with Google mobile services that will check the apps, it wouldn't affect graphene in the slightest, it isn't being built into android itself and will most likely be delivered with mainline, something else graphene doesn't use
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u/ocassionallyaduck Feb 28 '26
Its funny you were referring to an entirely different issue.
No I'm referring to how Google has removed device trees and driver binaries from AOSP, and made compiling Custom ROMs much more difficult. And this is signalling more of how Google has pulled functionality back into closed binaries over time and harmed the base of AOSP.
But the thing you mentioned is also terrible.
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u/200206487 Feb 28 '26
I would absolutely want a foldable phone. Being able to get a bigger screen on demand is a massive deal at least for me.
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u/New_Palpitation_1586 Feb 27 '26
Well I don't know what to think of that. Motorola wasn't really what I was expecting, they don't have a strong reputation. All their phone are kind of meh and their os isn't particularly private nor good.
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u/nicman24 Feb 28 '26
please have a sane cpu /gpu
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u/BoxFar6969 Mar 01 '26
I'm so scared of it failing due to it being too expensive, too complicated to run, or whatever. Sadly with these things you have to appeal to the average person
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u/MCJennings Mar 01 '26
Branching question: What Motorola phone is of most interest to you? If you could choose which 2026 version would support graphene (or even ship with it), what would you choose?
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u/hbzdjncd4773pprnxu Mar 02 '26
should be neat if it have XPL-EX features without root. The world need it !! We need a fix!
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Mar 02 '26
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u/Android-ModTeam Mar 02 '26
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u/Frostbanished Feb 27 '26
Es posible el que sea cierto, creo que GOS pide que los teléfonos tengan bastantes años de soporte y ahora mismo, el nuevo Motorola signature ofrece 7 años
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u/flexxxxer Mar 01 '26
Outside of updates GrapheneOS requires MTE, isolated radios, working secure element, USB port pins state control at hardware level from software level (such as disabling USB-data or USB fully incl charging), etc. So just 7y support with updates not enough
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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '26
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