The private Android-based OS will expand beyond Pixels next year.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
By Ryan Whitwam<\/p>\n\n\n\n Several months ago, Motorola and the makers of GrapheneOS announced<\/a> a team-up that would expand support for the privacy-centric OS to beyond Google\u2019s Pixel phones. The announcement, however, was bereft of details. Now, the creators of the OS have taken to Mastodon (naturally) to provide an update<\/a>. Moto\u2019s GrapheneOS phones are on track to launch in 2027, but they\u2019ll cost a pretty penny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The upcoming Moto devices won\u2019t ship with GrapheneOS, but they will be fully supported by the project with help from Moto itself. So far, only Pixel phones have met GrapheneOS\u2019s strict hardware requirements to ensure the highest level of security and privacy. The software, which is based on Android, includes features like enhanced memory protection, granular network permissions, customizable app sandboxing, and a duress code that can be used to wipe your phone. (That last one got an activist charged with a felony<\/a> earlier this year after he used it to delete his data during a customs interrogation.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the GrapheneOS team, the upcoming Moto phones will be premium flagship devices. The team expects pricing to be even higher than Pixel phones, which is saying something. The current Pixel lineup<\/a> starts at $900 for the base model Pixel 11, a $100 increase from last year. The Pixel 11 Pro XL price has gone up to a whopping $1,300 this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So these mysterious Moto phones will presumably be well over a grand. Motorola didn\u2019t bother releasing new versions of its non-folding Edge phones in 2026, and if that trend continues, the 2027 devices may be foldables. That would help explain the high prices, and the ongoing AI-driven component price increases can\u2019t be helping either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Motorola makes plenty of budget devices in the Moto G line, those devices aren\u2019t a viable option. GrapheneOS has supported Pixels because Google\u2019s Tensor chips provide the necessary security features, but not all Qualcomm chips offer the same capabilities. Only Qualcomm\u2019s most expensive 8-series processors are comparable from a security standpoint, and those only go in expensive flagship smartphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s possible that cheaper Moto phones could eventually get GrapheneOS support, but the developers don\u2019t see that happening any time soon. Qualcomm\u2019s mid-range chips don\u2019t get the same level of support unless OEMs pay more, so Motorola would have to commit to that on a wider range of products. As it stands, Motorola only offers update support for a couple of years on budget phones, which isn\u2019t sufficient for GrapheneOS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Motorola-X-GrapheneOS-1152x648.jpg\")
![\"Motorola](\"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Motorola-Razr-2025-10.jpg\")
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