GrapheneOS Set to Launch on Motorola’s Foldable Devices Next Year

GrapheneOS, the open-source Android variant focused on security and privacy, has unveiled its plans to support Motorola smartphones. Official backing is expected to kick off next year, starting with flagship models before expanding to Motorola’s foldable devices and potentially more budget-friendly options down the line.

In a recent Mastodon thread, the GrapheneOS Foundation shared that it will first support a traditional Motorola flagship phone, with plans to later include the Razr Fold and Razr Ultra foldables. Notably, the Razr Ultra would be the first flip phone to officially run GrapheneOS.

GrapheneOS has always maintained high security standards for hardware. The organization noted that this year’s Motorola Signature and Razr models are “very close to meeting our requirements,” but they currently lack mature support for hardware memory tagging and secure element integration. The next generation of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chips is anticipated to meet these standards, which is why the focus is on Motorola’s 2027 devices for initial support.

Earlier this month, Graphene confirmed that the first Motorola devices to receive support will be flagship models, which will feature higher-end hardware than Pixel devices at a premium price. More affordable options are planned for the future, but they will need enhanced security features from Qualcomm’s budget chips and a commitment from Motorola for seven years of software support. For instance, this year’s $499.99 Moto G Stylus only guarantees two major OS upgrades and three years of security updates.

Motorola announced its partnership with Graphene in March, stating that both organizations would collaborate to enhance smartphone security. Until now, GrapheneOS has primarily supported Google’s Pixel phones, and that support continues, with plans to include the Pixel 11 series in the future. However, changes to the Android Open Source Project’s support for Pixel devices have made them “harder to properly support than many other devices.” In contrast, GrapheneOS highlighted that “Motorola is doing a large portion of the work of porting GrapheneOS to their devices.”