Ask HN: Why aren't Android manufacturers interested in GrapheneOS?
5 palata 5 8/25/2025, 10:28:07 AM
It probably sounds naive, but I have been following GrapheneOS for a few years, and it seems like adoption is growing at a fair speed. They currently estimate [1] that they have more than 300k users.
I know it's not a lot for the likes of Samsung, but FairPhone, for instance, sold 100k units in 2023.
So if FairPhone made their hardware work with GrapheneOS, they would possible double their marketshare. Also for a major manufacturer like Samsung or Huawei, it feels like it shouldn't be too hard to meet the GrapheneOS requirements, and that would immediately get them those customers that want GrapheneOS (especially given that Google has been seen less reliable recently).
Why is it that Android manufacturers just don't care? Is it too much work for a market of hundreds of thousands of users (and growing)?
[1]: https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/1137-market-share/16
Btw, afaik GrapheneOS is coming out with their own hardware. Evidently in 2026 or 2027.
Hmm, we're talking about a few hundred thousands phones, I don't think it would upset Google. I'm just wondering because if all they need to do is provide a way to lock/unlock the bootloader, then they can potentially sell hundred thousands of units with a minor change.
> GrapheneOS is coming out with their own hardware.
Do you have a source for that? I've seen mentions of them trying to do it, but mostly I have seen that they "are talking to major manufacturers". It's not clear to me if they are trying to come up with their own device or if they are trying to convince a major manufacturer that they should "support" GrapheneOS (simply by meeting their requirements).
I personally hope it's the latter: it seems very difficult to release their own hardware that would come close to a Pixel 10 with 7 years support.
Not saying that they should heavily promote GrapheneOS. Just saying that by merely meeting the requirements of GrapheneOS, a community of hundreds of thousands of people may start buying their phone instead of Pixels. No extra support needed except for guaranteeing that they won't prevent users from unlocking/relocking the bootloader, right?
Normies don't even have to hear about it.