GrapheneOS May Break Pixel Exclusivity With a New Phone in 2026

The privacy-focused Android fork, GrapheneOS, has spent years exclusively supporting certain Google Pixel devices. However, this could be ending soon. To that extent, the project partnered with a major Android device maker in June 2025, but hasn’t revealed its name. GrapheneOS is now working closely with the said brand to support at least one of their next-generation devices, which may launch in 2026.

A new GrapheneOS-supported device may debut in 2026

The confirmation comes from a social media post to address the criticism about its Pixel exclusivity. This could be a turning point for GrapheneOS and may open doors to more users who fancy robust privacy protections. Talking about this Pixel-only limitation, GrapheneOS notes that Pixels currently remain the only devices offering the necessary security updates and hardware-based security features they require.

Sharing more details on Reddit, the moderator clarifies that the partnered manufacturer will offer GrapheneOS support on future versions of their existing models. The new devices will cost similar to Pixel phones. This possibly hints that the devices may not be completely new.

The phone will feature flagship Snapdragon processors

Furthermore, the Reddit post confirms that the initial devices will feature flagship Snapdragon processors for better security and support time. GrapheneOS notes that the Snapdragon chips provide significantly better CPU and GPU performance compared to Google’s Tensor chips. They also provide high-quality wireless connectivity, eSIM support, and decent image processing capabilities directly into the SoC.

The ideal arrangement would be to sell phones with GrapheneOS preinstalled, but the project reportedly confirmed that it’s not mandatory since users can install it manually on supported devices. As for the existing Pixel users, GrapheneOS will continue to support them until their end-of-life dates. It’s also reportedly planning to add Pixel 10 support, but the timeline is not clear. Whether they’ll support Pixel 11 and later models is not determined yet.

GrapheneOS dismisses Fairphone as a possible OEM

While the name of the “major” Android OEM is not out yet, the GrapheneOS team dismissed Fairphone. It notes that they (Fairphone) are not secure devices meeting its requirements. “Fairphone lags far behind on support for current Android versions and on providing important privacy/security patches for drivers/firmware,” said the GrapheneOS team.

Whoever the partner is, the devices should be available in various regions. This is considering they’ll be part of the brand’s regular lineup, but with official GrapheneOS support. It remains to be seen whether the first GrapheneOS-supported device debuts in 2026 or moves to 2027.