Pixel's GrapheneOS monopoly is officially over

In a recently made GrapheneOS post on X, a user asked in the comments whether the Motorola Signature 27 will support GrapheneOS. The user received a reply from the official handle saying, "Yes, that will be the initial supported phone. Wait for official news about it." This simply confirms that the recently unveiled flagship phone from Motorola is indeed going to be the first device from the brand that will be compatible with one of the most private operating systems.

Why only the Motorola Signature 27?

GrapheneOS has a long list of hardware security requirements that, until now, were fulfilled only by Google Pixel phones. However, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen-powered Motorola Signature 27 comes with all the required security features, such as hardware memory tagging, strong secure element integration, and seven years of long-term software support. All of these make the Motorola phone compatible with the operating system.

All that said, there are certain details that are still not confirmed, with one of the main ones being whether the OS will come pre-installed. The answer to this is probably negative, as a user asked a similar question to which the official handle replied, "Devices sold with GrapheneOS installed are planned, but details of that still need to be worked out." This strongly suggests that in the future we might see phones, most likely from Motorola, that will come with this particular OS pre-installed; however, the chances of the Motorola Signature 27 being one of them seem very slim.

Most likely, users will have the option to post-install it on the smartphone, just like they do on Google Pixel phones.

GrapheneOS's ongoing tension with Google

If you have the Google Pixel 10 or older Pixel models, you can install the OS on them without any issues. However, the project is yet to be confirmed to be compatible with the recently launched Pixel 11 lineup, and the reason behind this is the lack of MTE support. For context, the big G has been offering MTE support on its devices since the Pixel 8.

A post from the GrapheneOS official handle claims that Google might have cut this important security capability to save some money on its latest phones. The tech giant is also being called out for gatekeeping some of the important Android 17 APIs and security fixes.

 

A good number of users are criticizing Google for making changes to the Pixel 11 lineup that have made it almost incompatible with the privacy-focused OS. A user commented that Google has done very wrong by making this change. Another user mentioned that they are glad they returned their Pixel 11 Pro and kept the Pixel 9 Pro after learning that the former might not be compatible with the custom OS.

More Motorola devices will follow

The good news is that the project will not remain exclusive to the Motorola Signature 27. The company confirmed earlier this month that support will come first on the successor to the Motorola Signature 2026 and will then later expand to other Motorola phones. I have a 2023 Motorola G sitting in my drawer, and I would definitely love to try GrapheneOS on it if it ever becomes compatible.