GrapheneOS, the privacy-centric Android fork, has announced it is partnering with a major Android smartphone manufacturer to expand its availability. This collaboration will bring the secure operating system to future Snapdragon-powered flagship phones, marking a significant change for the project, which has been known for its exclusive support of Google Pixel devices.
Until this development, GrapheneOS was available for installation only on Google’s Pixel phone lineup. This exclusivity made Pixel devices a popular choice for individuals prioritizing privacy, including journalists and security-conscious users. A Spanish police report from earlier this year also noted its use by organized crime groups in Catalonia. The project now indicates that this long-standing exclusivity with Pixel phones may conclude by 2026 or 2027.
The decision to expand beyond the Pixel ecosystem follows public criticism from the GrapheneOS project regarding Google’s security patch timelines. The GrapheneOS team argued that Google’s update schedule can leave security vulnerabilities exposed for extended periods. By working directly with a different hardware manufacturer, GrapheneOS aims to gain earlier access to security patches, allowing it to maintain its security standards independently of Google’s release cycles.
The project clarified in a Reddit thread that it has been collaborating with an unnamed “major Android OEM” since June 2025. The goal of this partnership is to enable official support for “future versions of their existing models.” A key technical detail is that these new devices will be powered by flagship Snapdragon processors. This represents a notable departure from the Google Tensor chips used in modern Pixel phones, which have been the only hardware GrapheneOS has officially supported in recent generations.
GrapheneOS explained that its strict requirements for security and updates were previously only met by Google’s Pixel phones. The new partnership implies that another original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is now capable of matching those same standards. According to the announcement, the forthcoming devices from this new partner will be “priced similarly to Pixels” and will be offered globally as part of the manufacturer’s standard product lineup, not as a niche or special edition release.
For current GrapheneOS users on Pixel devices, the project confirmed that support will continue for all existing devices until they reach their official end-of-life. Looking ahead, GrapheneOS will provide support for the upcoming Pixel 10. However, the project stated that it is still considering whether it will add support for the subsequent Pixel 11 model.
The identity of the new hardware partner has not been disclosed. Online speculation has pointed toward the company Nothing, largely because it is one of the few OEMs that allows users to unlock the bootloader on its devices. An unlockable bootloader is a technical prerequisite for installing a third-party operating system like GrapheneOS. The report notes, however, that Nothing does not currently qualify as a “major Android OEM.”
