GrapheneOS reveals what’s finally making Motorola support possible

Calvin Wankhede / Android AuthorityTL;DR GrapheneOS says Motorola phones are on track to gain support for its privacy-focused operating system in 2027 thanks to Qualcomm’s hardware security improvements. The project says it currently supports only devices that implement Android’s latest secure element-backed rate limiting, which makes brute-force attacks significantly harder. Back at MWC 2026, Motorola and GrapheneOS announced a long-term partnership that will end the latter’s long-standing exclusivity to Google Pixel phones. Now, GrapheneOS has reiterated that support for Motorola smartphones is on track for 2027.While GrapheneOS has yet to say whether the partnership will produce a dedicated Motorola phone or simply extend support to existing or upcoming models, it has now highlighted the security advances, including Qualcomm’s contributions, that are paving the way for the expansion.In a lengthy post on X, the project noted that it currently only supports Google Pixel devices because they’re the only Android phones that meet its hardware security requirements. However, it added that this is expected to change in 2027, “thanks to our partnership with Motorola Mobility and progress being made by Qualcomm.”Instead of allowing unlimited passcode attempts, Android 17 caps them at just 20 and progressively increases the delay after repeated failed attempts, increasing protection against brute-force attacks. GrapheneOS says it only supports devices that implement this latest generation of secure element protections.The project also explained that Google’s Pixel phones have included secure element-based rate limiting and insider attack resistance since the Pixel 2, while GrapheneOS layers on additional protections such as longer password support, optional fingerprint plus second-factor PIN authentication, hardened exploit mitigations, USB protections while locked, and its own configurable auto-reboot feature.For now, Pixel devices remain the only officially supported hardware for GrapheneOS. But with Qualcomm’s security roadmap continuing as planned, Motorola will become the first major Android manufacturer outside Google to officially support the privacy-focused operating system in 2027.Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.