I think it is really clear that custom RON developers work is much much harder, GrapheneOS team is still struggling to have a stable release. I am not sure how long is this sustainable.
Come on donât be so negative. Even if worst case scenario google decides to stop collaborating and closes android from custom roms on pixel phones, Iâm sure the GOS team would find another way to develop their OS on another type of phone. And besides, GOS is not the only one in this struggle. As I understand it, this change impacts other custom roms developers as well (Lineageos, Calyxos, âŚ). So, they can always team-up or maybe make a contract with a company to manufacture phones that meet their requirements and âforkâ android or god knows what else. Iâm sure developers will find another way as usual. I mean people have been hacking the iphone for years now, to jailbreak it and to install tweaks that are forbidden by apple. I mean this is the most complicated reverse-engineering task ever and they still manage to do it very rapidly. You know I really love this community here at privacyguides.org, but sometimes you guys look like the slightest obstacle, not matter how small, make you lose all your faith and trust in a product/service/project just like with the bitwarden drama. Man relax and read their post on mastodon, GOS is still here and alive and they clearly believe in their work, so be confident. I am, and I just bought a pixel phone just for GOS.
11 Likes
Iâve been running GrapheneOS 16 for a few days now, it is perfectly daily drivable.
10 Likes
And so do I.
Actually I donât even notice a difference between 15 and 16, stable wise.
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And no support (apps available) from main organizations, companies, governments. Basically like linux phones today, maybe some Android emulation, so no banks, ids, payments⌠I mean, Microsoft couldnât push 3rd mobile OS with their resources, so there is no way anything else would succeed.
3 Likes
until you use the profiles feature, it is so buggy, hopefully it is fixed in A16.
Bugs I find from my years aside, indeed very daily drivable
Why do you think it is a good idea to promote their misinformation and snake-oil products?
1 Like
Cute that you think it is a promotion.
not even 5 minutes in and it is filled to the brim with misinformation:
- âmentally unstable leader of GrapheneOSâ
- ânegative cult he cultivatesâ
- âinstead of just changing portions of Android called the Android framework, which is typically the only thing changed by other customs roms, and this means accessing the linux layer and deeper parts of the source codeâ
- wrong
- âgoogle could have deliberatly made this decision to cut off grapheneos and calyxos, maybe it is because of other reasons, we donât knowâ
- we know it is because of the antitrust
- âthe linux level source code in android is now inaccessible on pixelsâ
- wrong
- âthe effect of this on GrapheneOS is that while it can still make changes to the open source called AOSP otherwise called the Android framework, low level device code can no longer be altered on a google pixelâ
- wrong
- âthis has so many effects including killing features such as verified boot, changing the libc libraries, or low level linux functionsâ
- wrong, wrong and wrong
7 Likes
Didnât watch the video, but heâs probably talking nonsense trying to shill his own phone.
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Ah yes two keyboard warriors at war, how cute. 
Isnât that just a theory? I havenât seen anything official from Google?
So true 
the last part of the video is just shilling his own phone.
Good news: I got the update to Android 16 on GrapheneOS today.
6 Likes
Seems like a good GOS fit..
Finnish phone maker HMD Global is launching a business unit called HMD Secure to target governments and other security-critical customers, and has its first device ready to go.
Its security features are said to include an anti-tamper design with intrusion detection, dual encryption support (file-based and virtual full disk encryption), secure boot, a fingerprint reader, and a screen stealth mode.
HMD says it offers three tailored OS variants for its new device â Industrial, Tactical, and Secure Partner Platform, plus custom OS builds, full auditability, and remote secure management.
3 Likes
Seems like a GOS fit alright. Well, it seems that it will ship in Q1 2026, that´s not too far away. Wait and see!
QPR1 still not release to AOSP?
Nope
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We reached out to Google a few days ago for comment on whether and when it plans to release the source code for Android 16 QPR1. In a statement to Android Authority, Google confirmed it will release the source code âin the coming weeks.â The company didnât explain the reason for the delay or offer a more specific timeline, but its statement reassures developers that the code is coming â just later than usual.
2 Likes
It seem obvious now that Google wants to kill âROMs.â But they prefer doing it small step by small step. Very sad indeed.
GrapheneOS might offer a closed-source channel in result. This is because Google is now also delaying security patches by 2-3 months to let OEMs time to patch.
2 Likes
But why? It canât be more than 1% of Android users, if even that. Just because theyâre missing out on selling ads to these, theyâre taking away all the openness of Android?
The only advantages Android had over iOS were:
- cheaper devices available
- openness and the ability to sideload and tinker and degoogle and all the other stuff nerds liked
Now theyâre gradually taking the second one away; why wouldnât I just get an iPhone then?
1 Like
Who knows why. I think it could just be that they donât need it to be truly open-souce anymore. It was probably a great helper of adoption. Think small smartphone manufacturers : they could just launch a phone and put Android on it. No authorisation required or fee. Same for smart TVs, etc.
Maybe now Android is so popular that they think they can restrict access and not huft the ecosystem.