Motorola’s foldables set to receive GrapheneOS in 2023

GrapheneOS, an open-source version of Android known for its emphasis on security and privacy, has revealed its strategy for extending support to Motorola smartphones. The official support is scheduled to begin next year, starting with the more traditional flagship models before expanding to include Motorola’s foldable devices and potentially more affordable options.

In a recent announcement on Mastodon, the GrapheneOS Foundation disclosed its plans to first provide support for a flagship slab phone from Motorola, with future plans to extend support to the Razr Fold and Razr Ultra foldable devices. The Razr Ultra would mark the first flip phone officially compatible with GrapheneOS.

GrapheneOS has always maintained rigorous security standards, particularly when it comes to hardware requirements. While this year’s Motorola Signature and Razr handsets are close to meeting these standards, they currently lack full support for hardware memory tagging and secure element integration. The organization anticipates that the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chips will align with its criteria, prompting the focus on Motorola’s 2027 phone lineup for initial support.

While GrapheneOS confirmed that its initial Motorola devices will be high-end flagships surpassing Google’s Pixel phones in terms of hardware and pricing, the roadmap also includes more budget-friendly options. However, achieving support for these devices will depend on Qualcomm enhancing security features for their lower-end chips and Motorola committing to seven years of software updates. In comparison, this year’s Moto G Stylus only guarantees two major OS upgrades and three years of security patches.

Motorola announced its partnership with Graphene in March to enhance smartphone security. Previously, GrapheneOS exclusively supported Google’s Pixel phones, with ongoing support for the Pixel 11 series planned for the future. However, changes in the Android Open Source Project have made supporting Pixel phones more challenging, while Motorola has taken on a significant role in adapting GrapheneOS for their devices.