User-facing hardware virtualization support in the next GrapheneOS release

For our next release after 2025030800, we’ve added support for the Android 15 QPR2 Terminal for running other operating systems using hardware virtualization. It’s currently only a terminal but Android is adding support for graphics and GPU acceleration for a future release.

Android has a greatly overhauled desktop mode on the way to replace the current primitive proof of concept in developer options. 6th gen Pixels added hardware-based virtualization support and 8th gen Pixels added USB-C DisplayPort alternate mode. It will all come together soon.

Overhauled desktop mode is already partially shipped as a disabled-by-default feature. Android enables some of it for the Pixel Tablet already but not Pixel phones. We plan to enable the same feature flags for phones too. Either way, it’s an experimental developer option for now.

Beyond using a phone or tablet as a desktop by connecting a display, keyboard, mouse, etc. to the USB-C port, we want to eventually have support for GrapheneOS on laptops. There’s currently no laptop close to meeting the hardware requirements we cover at Frequently Asked Questions | GrapheneOS.

On Pixels, virtualization implemented based on pKVM (see Security  |  Android Open Source Project for how it’s different from KVM) and CrosVM from extended with Android specific code. CrosVM is written in Rust so it fits in well with Android using Rust for new or rewritten low-level components.

3 Likes

Not sure if they are perhaps shooting for perfection and in the meantime all have to live with very precarious options.

I know that laptops such as the Nova Custom or the Framework don’t have many of the things needed but if partnered with GrapheneOS those devices could eventually evolve.

I don’t think Google will launch a secure android powered laptop to compete with Apple any time soon (not including the Chromebooks).

1 Like