Motorola is a major supplier of communication equipment for the IDF and produces bomb fuses used in IDF’s bombs. It also donated money to Project 2025.Edit: there are two Motorola. The good one is the one shipping Google spyware and not updating their devices. The bad one helps Israel kill brown people.
The good one is the one shipping Google spyware and not updating their devices.
The funny part is that’s actually the least bad thing they’ve done.
do you mean Motorola Solutions or Motorola Mobility(the one Lenovo currently owns)?
Motorola Mobility was spun off from Motorola in 2012 and sold to Google. Then Google sold it in 2014 to Lenovo, the Chinese company that had also previously bought IBM’s entire personal computer business.
Original Motorola, renamed Motorola Solutions, retained the rights to the Motorola name in everything except cell phones, and continued to manufacture radio and communications equipment and other signal processing equipment (including stuff like cable TV boxes). They remain a major contractor for militaries, law enforcement, and fire/EMS emergency responders.
If we’re talking about Motorola cell phones, we’re talking about the Chinese owned company, not the American owned company.
Thank you for educating me.
Now I can simply not buy their devices because they suck.
Oh man I never realized there was a separate non-phone Motorola company that remained where it was. Thanks for the explanation.
That’s another Motorola. The one making phones is Lenovo who bought the brand to put it on phones.
The same Lenovo that got caught using rootkits to keep their software installed on PCs? https://www.zdnet.com/article/lenovo-rootkit-ensured-its-software-could-not-be-deleted/
that was in 2015 though
like 10-11 years ago (as of march 2nd 2026)All the major companies have too many ghosts, and will do things I do not like.
I really want to support more ethical organizations
I still haven’t forgiven Sony for shipping malware in their CDs, Lenovo will never get approval from me.
Oh shit I forgot about that, we’re old :|
you mean like Sony shipped DRM?
Yes and when sued they provided a removal tool that put a new malware on pcs.
Ohh I see.
But thank God DRM is no longer kernel level.
Are there any companies left that haven’t done some shady shit in the past?
A few small ones.
Can someone ELI5 me what’s so special about Google’s SoCs that no other manufacturer could do (preferably citing sources not involved)?
I still find it weird that a major manufacturer would bother with a ROM.Being able to lock the bootloader with custom keys. Major OEMs do not want people to bypass their backdoors. Google signalled they will shift away from it too so Motorola is a welcome addition
The reason I got my ZFold5 was I like the fact that it could open up and give me a larger area to view and bigger keyboard. I have gotten the biggest phone I could get for the last 15 years or so because I have a hard time seeing the tiny screens. I would be happy to switch to a new OS but my old ass needs a bigger screen.
This is actually supported by GrapheneOS currently, if you need that extra push. 😉Gonna be my next phone for that reason. Oh, and it’s bendy. XD
You need one of these!
Oh geez. I bet thats expensive
WTF who makes that? EDIT— Samsung. I really want something I can put Graphine on.
Xiaomi is coming out with the Mix Trifold in Q3, xiaomi phones are unlockabke, though its a pain. You might be able to install LineageOS on it.
Guess who just added 5 different AI Sloperators into their OS lmao.
Nah, this is Huawei’s offering. Came out in late 2024. It’s called the Mate XT.
And it’s China exclusive. You definitely can’t put GraphineOS on this baby.
Can’t you get data on some tablets? Sounds like that’s what they need!
“Hello Moto” (iust my first, unfiltered thought)
great
That’s nice, but how much will those phones cost? Will GrapheneOS be an option on the low end devices or will they only support “some” devices, which happen cost as much as a Pixel anyway?
Hey mate, don’t need one of the Motorola’s, buy a second hand pixel, I’ve got a 6 and a 10 pro (soon to be converted to GOS now that there are stable builds since it’s my daily).
It’s a bit of a shock compared to stock android but you’ll actually feel like you own and control your phone again (like I do here on the pixel 6), but you’ll lose features like the scam block, hold for me etc. that the stock OS does).
The onus becomes on you to keep the device secure, you can do another user profile to install stuff you want separate and it works nicely. It’s all sandboxed and asks your consent before giving any permissions to an app, like android used to.
Pixels have hardware documentation and are directly supported by Android, making them possible for the GrapheneOS dev community to support. Good luck doing that on a Samsung.
Motorola is doing good here. Also, buy a used Pixel 8, you’ll have almost three years of support left.
That’s the thing, even used Pixels are almost twice the price of what I paid for my new phone.
Back when I bought my phone I considered that route. but then since I can’t replace the batteries on new phones without risking destroying the device. And there’s a big probability that the phone comes with an almost dying battery.
I also understand that GrapheneOS can’t be installed on any “unlocked” phone, it needs to be OEM unlocked and most sellers don’t know/specify, so ended up considering too expensive and too much of a risk.
I asked Motorola for an OEM unlock code for an Edge 30 Neo and got it straight away. I then installed Lineage OS 22, and the phone is working really well. The total cost is one-third of what a used Pixel 8 would cost.
Pick your poison. Want cheap? Be tracked. Want privacy? Pay the price.
How I imagine the decision:
Should we maybe port it to Fairphone? The phone most of our users probably like?
Nah let’s do Motorola instead - you know the company were you have to spin a dice to determine if your device can unlock the bootloader or not…
fair phone lacks the hardware security to run fully featured grapheneOS. Other than that it does work on fairphone.
It’s not that FairPhone can’t run it. It’s that Graphene OS team doesn’t want people to run it on other phones. Their reasoning is that if people run Graphene OS on less secure hardware and get hacked it will damage the brand.
i never said fairphone cant run it. I said Graphene doesnt want to do a partnership with people who dont meet their hardware requirements. Thats fair, a grapheneOS approved phone should meet all their requirements. Which is why its so awesome to see them partnering with motorola
Yeah, it’s just that saying that it “lack hardware security” sounds like Graphene OS requires it to run, not that the devs are choosing not to support it. Not that you clarified it we’re talking about the same thing.
So does Motorola…
If the Graphene team is partnering with Motorola then the devices will have the security features. They’ve been clear on their requirements and dont seem to want to flex when it comes to security and their brand.
While the Motorola/GrapheneOS news is interesting, it’s a shame that GrapheneOS’s lack of root access continues to be a significant limitation. For users who prioritize data ownership and the ability to create full, local backups (Swift Backup being a prime example), it’s simply not a viable option. Security is important, but so is control over your own data.
Have you seen the “Shizuku” app? It utilises the debugging api to give some extra permissions that regular apps wouldn’t usually get. Works on GrapheneOS and can give SwiftBackup a lot more power on devices that can’t grant root access. You might find you don’t need full rooting.
I think most people here don’t really understand what’s going on here. Graphene OS is an Android mod with some extra security features designed to run on a hardened hardware. The main goal of Graphene OS is to protect users from some very specific attacks like some devices police uses to unlock phones or some targeted hacks by state actors. Unless you’re worried you may be targeted by such an attack and have some date you need to protect from them you don’t really need Graphene OS. You can run any of the other deGoogles Android mods on any hardware that supports it. You can already buy phones with pre-installed /e/ of iode ROMs. Many other phones support Lineage OS. Also, let’s keep in mind that GrapheneOS only supports Pixel because they don’t want to allow people to run their OS on hardware they don’t think is secure enough. It’s their choice not to support other phones.
Also, Google still controls AOSP so this does not solve any of the bigger Android issues. Motorola forking AOSP and providing the resourced needed to keep the development going would be amazing news. This is just one phone maker promising to fulfill the security requirements of Graphene OS. It’s basically like Dell offering Ubuntu laptops. Good news but it will not have a big impact on the ecosystem.
This is nonsense. Everyone needs the most secure phone possible, especially considering it’s the only device some people will ever own. None of the other de-Googled offerings come close to the security features that Graphene offers, some of which are custom built solutions. They go above and beyond what the typical ROM does, which is why it even supports a lot of banking apps that would normally be blocked.
There’s a good reason people talk about GrapheneOS a lot lately, and not any of the many alternative Android ROMs that exist.
Also, let’s keep in mind that GrapheneOS only supports Pixel because they don’t want to allow people to run their OS on hardware they don’t think is secure enough
Obviously. That’s the point: Graphene isn’t just any de-Googled ROM, it’s specifically a product designed for security-conscious users. If someone doesn’t care about security and just wants to dick around on an old Android device, they can use one of the many toy ROMs out there (like iodé)
The main goal of Graphene OS is to protect users from some very specific attacks like some devices police uses to unlock phones or some targeted hacks by state actors.
That’s simply not true. It does do those things, but that’s not “the main goal”. Not sure where you got that from?
This is nonsense. Everyone needs the most secure phone possible,
This is nonsense. GrapheneOS is like 0.00001% of the market. Almost everyone in the world manages to survive just fine “dicking around on an old Android”. Only people that can be targeted by state actors really need GrapheneOS. Most people when forced to choose between unlocking their phones or being denied entry to a country, being stopped from boarding a plane or simply spending some time in jail will quickly unlock the phone and hand it over to police. Having extra secure OS is meaningless to them.
I understand you have some sensitive data on your phone and you would rather be detained than unlock it and that’s fine. Graphene OS is for you. I’m sure you’re already using it on a Pixel device. Motorola will offer you more options but that’s it. Not much will change.
If you live in the united states, then you DO need protection against police and state attacks.
I never said you don’t. I’m saying that if you DO need it you should be running GrapheneOS on a Pixel already. If you can wait a year or two until this phone comes out it’s clearly not a “must have” for you.
Fair point. I really do wish it were more than “Pixel, or MotorolaSoonTM” for hardware choices. Who knows, though. Maybe other manufacturers will join the party.
Reproducible builds and lack of telemetry, plus hardening against compromise (by any actors) is my personal use case. I only run free/libre infrastructure privately, and hope to move on to open/libre hardware in future.
But how is that significantly more secure than LineageOS? I have read through countless blog posts from GrapheneOS developers and have not yet encountered an explanation that is sufficiently convincing. Outside of additional security hardening, which is definitely a big pro, GrapheneOS doesn’t have many things that LineageOS doesn’t. LineageOS is fully FOSS and telemetry-free. They introduced the “Trust” control panel for managing all sorts of privacy and security matters. They have PIN scramble.
The only major, obvious security vulnerability lies in the proprietary driver blobs from the device vendors / OEMs. But AFAIK Google Pixels also have those, right? So outside of doubtlessly valuable measures like restricting malicious reprogramming / access through the USB port, in what ways is GrapheneOS actually more secure than LineageOS?
in what ways is GrapheneOS actually more secure than LineageOS?
In many ways. This document provides a detailed overview of Graphene’s unique features, and is worth a skim even if you’re unfamiliar with some of the jargon.
My very reductive summary is that Lineage is primarily focused on reviving and bringing modern features to old devices, whereas Graphene is focused on hardening the security of AOSP as much as possible.
Both are de-Googled. Lineage is good for e-waste prevention, but not security. You will never be able to secure a device that can’t receive kernel updates because the OEM abandoned it, and “state actors” are certainly not the only people who can exploit those vulnerabilities.
Yes. Controlling telemetry data transmission is why I run GrapheneOS.
Nice try officer.
If you’re worried about police getting your data you’re already using GrapheneOS on a Pixel device. This is good news for you because you will have more options when changing phones in the future but not really a game changer in any way.
It’s not just degoogling is the reason for using grapheneos. There are many other user friendly controls. For instance, you block apps from network use, so your click farming game doesn’t track everything about you.
iode has a build in app that let’s you automatically block trackers for each app. You can manage internet connection and allow specific trackers separately for each app. I think internet access is a basic Android permission, any ROM can just block internet access for apps. I’ve used iode before, I’m using Graphene OS now. If restoring all the apps wasn’t such a pain in the ass I would go back to iode. It also had a nice ‘long press’ navigation button shortcut feature, pattern unlock for the lockscreen and automated backups to self hosted ownCloud instance. Graphene OS is good but it’s not a game changer.
Removed by mod
Guess I know which brand my next smartphone upgrade will be.
If they did some nice 7" tablets too, that would be perfect.
Lenovo/Moto is weird about that… The android phones and android tablets have next to nothing to do with each other.
I do have a couple of their tablets and like them well enough, but you might as well consider them an entirely different vendor versus the Moto phone part of the business.
Well that’s a shame.
I’ve been looking around for a replacement to my aged Samsung A6 (which has been given an extended life by replacing the factory ROM with something with less bloatware, but is still pretty limited in terms of memory) which is not a Surveillance Outpost for just who knows how many nations and just about any companies willing to pay the 3 cents of whatever for the data, and all the Linux and degoogled Android makers only have 10"+ ones, which are too big for my use case which carry a tablet on a coat or trousers back pocket when I’m going to be sitting down somewhere and waiting for something so that I can read books and maybe browse the internet on their free WiFi.
Personally I would LOOOVE a small Linux tablet, but I’m OK with some kind of privacy respecting Android which isn’t riddled with backdoors mandated by governments which have Information Courts issuing Secret Bulk Information Collecting Orders, like the US and the UK.
How will they be able tackle the play integrity checks and all those things?
Who? Grapahen OS? The same way they do now I guess. Nothing changes for the OS. It’s the hardware that needs to fulfill some extra requirements for Graphene OS team to support it.
But some apps dont work, so motorola will have to exclusively say that these banking apps, or gpay will not work, or they will have a dolution for this?
I don’t think it’s clear that Motorola will actually sell phones with GrapheneOS. If they do I’m pretty sure they will not offer them in normal stores, next to other Android phones.
Hmm, lets see what they do
I remember my original Moto G. It was a good phone for the time. I will follow Graphene wherever they go until a Linux phone is ready.
SailfishOS runs in Jolla phones (linux) and PostmarketOS is doing strides.
Unfortunately, SailfishOS is not FOSS, and FOSS must be the basis of all trust, or else you have no idea to tell what kind of software (spyware) the vendor is operating on your phone. At least Jolla is starting to open-source some traditionally proprietary components.
I looked at their latest phone on their website. The specs look better than some of the other Linux manufacturers. They finally ditched the 720p display that was holding back the Pine, Jolla, and similar Linux devices for an FHD panel. I appreciate that they are differentiating on user-benefitting hardware features like swappable batteries, SD cards, and headphone jacks seems like a smart strategy as these are things mainstream manufacturers largely refuse to implement but are popular among a good chunk of users. Sure, there will be a mainstream phone with a brighter screen, faster processor, better “features”, but it looks like the hardware is finally on par with the rest of the market. I’m really happy to see this!
Hello Moto!
This is crazy big news.
Very interesting, I’ll keep an eye on Motorola phones. Not that I need a new one anytime soon, but still that’s the kind of thing that could be refreshing to read news about.
