this post was submitted on 14 Oct 2025
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Android

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[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 112 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

There aren't too many OEMs that sell worldwide. So that would be one of Samsung, Sony, Moto, OnePlus.

[–] IBoris@lemmy.world 39 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

I hope Sony simply because I want a headphone jack and an MicroSD card reader. Their phones are already pretty bloat free and their custom apps, usually focused on the camera system, would mesh very well with GrapheneOS. Would be a great way for them to become relevant again.

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[–] SeductiveTortoise@piefed.social 7 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Samsung doesn't really rely on Snapdragon too much, so that might be out.

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[–] SeductiveTortoise@piefed.social 85 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

According to details shared on Reddit, the partnered manufacturer will offer GrapheneOS support on future versions of their existing models, priced similarly to Pixels. These initial devices will feature flagship Snapdragon processors, which GrapheneOS notes provide significantly better CPU and GPU performance compared to Google’s Tensor chips. The Snapdragon platform also bundles high-quality wireless connectivity, eSIM support, and decent image processing capabilities directly into the system-on-chip.

Oh thank you. Let's hope for something nice for a change.

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 39 points 2 weeks ago

This might be it. This might be the alt phone to defeat all others. Flagship chip + graphineOS features and long term support is a killer killer deal.

[–] lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.com 52 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)

I'm skeptical. Even knowing how paranoid Daniel is about, well....everything.

Who remembers the last time a custom ROM got an OEM deal? It is the reason Lineage OS exists today...

[–] Lumisal@lemmy.world 38 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

With everything Google is doing with Android, they might not have a choice. It's either this or possibly one day no longer being able to work on Graphene.

[–] skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Graphene would be better off cutting themselves off from Google's OS future entirely and pivot the fork as quickly as possible to remove all dependencies. Probably too arrogant to consider it, though. Also becomes much more work.

[–] warmaster@lemmy.world 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Google will forever control Android. I would prefer if he just worked on Linux (phone & desktop) to the benefit of all.

[–] skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

You're under-thinking it.

In pseudo-correct but probably not order:

  • Step 1: Collect underpants
  • Step 2: Keep receiving Google security updates but stop updating Google mainline
  • Step 3: Start replacing the underbelly to just raw Linux (or BSD or whatever) and slowly shift the "Android" portion to a VM/container
  • Step 4: RIL and other stuff (probably should happen first) have to be packaged up and become their new entity on the modem side (also probably the biggest challenge, but manufacturers and ODMs provide dev kits)
  • Step 5: ???
  • Step 6: Once the Android side is safely firewalled away from the core OS, start embracing something like PostmarketOS
  • Step 7: GUI/graphics are built out with the Android pieces still running in a container
  • Step 8: Start writing applications that replace the Android applications, go one by one, remove dependence on each Android application as you go while still maintaining compatibility (I mean the core OS ones that make the device at least basically functional, the F/OSS devs will have to each rewrite/change their apps, or some other magic can be inserted here that isn't really magic.)
  • Step 9: Once the OS itself is beefed up enough, retain Android container for the needs of some for some uncomfortably long frustrating time to maintain, but not too long
  • Step 10: Have Obtainium/F-Droid/etc. all simultaneously pivot and start providing apps for the native OS as well as maintaining backwards compatibility with the Android apps in the container
  • Step 11: Once some magic point, forced or otherwise happens, sunset the Android portion of the app stores. Keep the containerized Android around a little longer
  • Step 12: Sunset the Android container, at this point the phone should be running 100% "native" OS and apps and store
  • Step 14: Profit!

There are industry blueprints for this. Apple is probably the best example of how to implement these shifts, from OS 9 (co-op MT proprietary OS)->OS X (BSD-NextStep-based Unix OS), 68k->PPC, Replacing Unix underpinnings with Apple Frameworks, PPC->Intel, OS X->iOS, Mac from Intel->ARM, etc. etc. They frequently used containerization to keep the old running while the new was built up around it and replaced. It is a solid proven design pattern.

And edit72: I'm not just saying "hey magic people do this" - I've done this shit. I'm down to help, and I will. But the project owners need to step up for some actual work instead of just putting potpourri on something someone else built. Annoying side-story, I figured out how to cross-compile/rebuild/fix dependencies on a CPAP app called Oscar so it would be ARM-native on ARM Macs. Couldn't figure out how to contact the devs after much digging to let them know, so. I have 1 of 1 copy of that app running ARM-MacOS native. Would be neat to help them replicate it though.

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[–] 0x0@lemmy.zip 39 points 3 weeks ago

About fucking time.

[–] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 38 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

So who do we think? It's not Fair phone and it sounds like it's not oneplus. I'll be needing a new phone within the next couple of years, if they roll it out soonish

[–] kata1yst@sh.itjust.works 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean those are the first two I'd suspect too. Maybe Sony or Pico? They're both pretty dev friendly.

[–] warmaster@lemmy.world 30 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] First_Thunder@lemmy.zip 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Sony is sooooo expensive though…

[–] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

They said it'd be on par with a Pixel, so either a reasonable Sony or not Sony..

[–] Buffalobuffalo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

The Sony xperia 10 VII has a micro SD slot and a 3.5mm port so I'm hoping Sony too.

Edit: looks like the OEM selected doesn't have compatible phones today but would in 26'

[–] hornedfiend@sopuli.xyz 12 points 2 weeks ago

I’ve completely forgotten that Sony makes phones also, but this phone is great on paper. So much so that, next year, when I will be switching back to Android from an unfortunate ios hiatus, I will definitely consider one (maybe viii? ). Thanks for reminding me.

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[–] SteakSneak@retrolemmy.com 8 points 3 weeks ago

Praying from this end of my Sony xperia

[–] uthredii@programming.dev 13 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
[–] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 21 points 2 weeks ago

They are called HMD now.

[–] jodanlime@midwest.social 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I actually think this could be it. Nokia has always been a little adventurous with their operating systems, and I think they are eager to claw back their old reputation.

[–] Lumisal@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

It's not.

Have a friend who works at a decently high position here in Finland and they actually are considering exiting the smartphone market all together because the margins are too small and they make easy more money on other things, like 5G equipment. They kind of want to move past being associated with phones basically.

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[–] SendMePhotos@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

I'd love an HTC again

[–] Zink@programming.dev 34 points 2 weeks ago

I can't wait to hear more. Please just make a phone that I'll want to buy. My phone is 4 years old and there's just nothing I want to replace it with yet.

It has become less and less of an issue over time though. Not only have I gotten used to using my phone FAR less with positive health results, but I have set myself up to have access to my Linux PC during the "chill with the family on the couch" times in the evening when one might zone out on their phone for a bit. That's what I'm using right now!

[–] skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de 32 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Qualcomm isn't exactly the best vendor to choose either. They're US-based, closely-aligned with the US government as a military contractor, and the baseband/processor are heavily integrated on many chipsets, even sharing memory. That means a compromised carrier network could twiddle bits that the operating system sees, if they so wanted. Among many other issues.

There's something about a Samsung Exynos designed to spec by Google that is actually more desirable even with the lack of compute performance. More fingers in the pot, less chance of some sneakiness working its way in.

[–] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 28 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
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[–] commander@lemmy.world 31 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'll hold off on a new phone to watch for this. Android could be great without Google's nonsense. An OS that has high end hardware support and continues to work on convergence with desktop Linux both by the communities development and Google's

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[–] fodor@lemmy.zip 25 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Every cell phone manufacturer has some interest in diversifying the operating systems. Because Google develops Android and sells its own cell phones, it has an unfair market edge. And now Google is threatening to filter out apps that it doesn't like which makes the risk even higher.

So we can be sure all of the other major manufacturers of Android phones have considered if they'd like to support other distributions.

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[–] sefra1@lemmy.zip 25 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

manufacturer will offer GrapheneOS support on future versions of their existing models, priced similarly to Pixels.

Great, so I still won't afford it...

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 11 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I paid $120 for each Pixel I own.

I refuse to pay a premium to have the "latest and greatest gadget"

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[–] mctoasterson@reddthat.com 24 points 2 weeks ago

Let's hope so. This should be my last Pixel if it all plays out like that.

[–] circuscritic@lemmy.ca 21 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (10 children)

I wonder if this will have a significant negative impact on Pixel sales.

[–] synapse1278@lemmy.world 40 points 2 weeks ago

The only reason I bought a Pixel is for GrapheneOS and the only reason my SO has one is also GrapheneOS.

[–] foggenbooty@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago

I can't see how it would. Techies are the only people who know what GrapheneOS is, and even then it's a small percentage of us. The average person still asks if you have an iPhone or a Samsung.

I hope it takes off, but even if it does the dent will be small.

[–] jodanlime@midwest.social 6 points 2 weeks ago

I would assume it will, if the SoC performance is in the same ballpark. Pixels have good NPU specs but their CPU, GPU and RAM feel like mid range options compared to snapdragons. So I don't think that's a high bar to hit. I don't run graphene because I'm not buying a google phone, but I would consider running it on something else.

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[–] guy@piefed.social 18 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

I thought the exclusivity was because of Googles superior chip security?

Partially. It's more that Google's overall architecture was better for security, inclusive of many different features.

You can find a big ass list here: https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices

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[–] courval@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Disappointed to learn about Fairphone lagging behind in terms of security.. I really wanted to get one. But still good news I guess.

[–] fodor@lemmy.zip 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm not saying the information about Fairphone is wrong, but you shouldn't assume it's all as bad as they made it out to be. You're reading a marketing pitch from one group that works with one vendor saying why another vendor isn't that good.

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[–] Leax@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 weeks ago

Not too surprising as they don't have the same company size, it's hard to keep up.

[–] DupaCycki@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

Not really a 'Fairphone issue' and more a general 'smartphone issue'. The vast majority of OEMs don't invest into security and just use random parts with mostly stock Android. Sometimes they actually make it worse by replacing AOSP apps with their less secure ones. Which sadly will become more common with Google abandoning AOSP.

Fairphone simply isn't focused on security. Should that change? Are Fairphone users interested in improved security?

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 12 points 2 weeks ago (13 children)

Please be Motorola and put it on my Razr+...

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[–] 01189998819991197253 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

But if google goes on with locking out the app store with the developer verification bs, how would would this play into that? If Aurora won't install the app or the app won't run, then we've accomplished little in that area. I'm really hoping I'm missing something.

[–] kuhli@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

Custom ROMs should be able to disable the checks. My bigger concern is what it does to the open app ecosystem as a whole.

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[–] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 weeks ago

Finally, some good news!

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