support for other android phones

ahm3d

i want to ask if there any way around to install well-tuned version of GOS on Xiaomi phones like mi 9 or 10 or 11 or redmi or poco if anyone knows how .

thank for you amazing work guys .

tornsail-smllwng

ahm3d Hi, GOS makes use of security features only available in hardware (think TPM type stuff on PCs). Only Google Pixels have this hardware, so GOS can only be available on Pixels for now.

Even if you prefer Xiaomi phones, it is still a smart thing to be interested, understand and even be invested in what GrapheneOS is doing.

If you are determined to have a Xiaomi or other manufacturers for 'design or functional' reasons, then I would still recommend trying to get hold of a cheap used Pixel if that is something you are able to do. GOS still works really well with just wifi and no sim. You will get to experiment with all the cool profile / sandboxed Google Play stuff and become familiar with the concepts and explanations in the documentation. Then you'll be ready for when a Pixel/GOS supported device catches your eye :) or at least, that's what I did, so I hope this helps. Good luck.

You can do a little research here at https://grapheneos.org/faq#device-lifetime to balance between budget and in/out/length of support if you decide to buy a used Pixel on the cheap.

Panda-na

It's not recommended to usa any other device than Pixels.

https://grapheneos.org/build

Blastoidea

In a word ……. no.

matchboxbananasynergy

Can't be done, it wouldn't be GrapheneOS. GrapheneOS depends on multiple hardware security features, which is the reason that hardware is carefully selected based on specific crtieria.

For another device to be supported, it would need to meet at least the following:

https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices

Skyway

matchboxbananasynergy can a FAQ sticky be made ? This question comes up so frequently along with other common questions .

ahm3d

tornsail-smllwng thanks for being kind to answer my question ,
GOS one of eyes catching projects out there , as security engineer i love that's was possible with other vendors and i understand the hard&soft specs that GOS requires ,
and also I've read the device lifetime and have question about it , So Google Pixel 5a will be provide reduction releases for how much ? 3 years !
ik that upgrades and security patches for the phone ends in aug-2024 but foh how long the reduction releases will be provided from GOS to that phone ?

tornsail-smllwng

Skyway If so, can I suggest it should strike a positive and encouraging tone ... because people are coming here very enthusiastic about GrapheneOS and for good reasons, but Pixel phones are very expensive. Always at the higher price points. Perhaps a sticky could find an acceptable way to point out a very cheap used Pixel might be an interim option, though not as a 'daily driver' for support/security reasons. Trouble is, it's all in the docs already...

tornsail-smllwng

I am only a user, not an expert; I will try to answer. It is great you are so interested in GrapheneOS.

The Pixel 5a (and 5) are built with almost identical Qualcomm chipsets using closed source Qualcomm firmware. It is likely that Google is no longer paying Qualcomm to provide security patches for the firmware of the 4a and 5. From Aug 2024, it looks like the 5a will also be out of support from Google/Qualcomm. GrapheneOS only has limited resources (money) and they must focus their efforts carefully. I don't think we can expect GrapheneOS to commit to a promise for how long the extended support will be provided.

If you can find a cheap one, then a Pixel 6 will be a much better choice because it is using the more recent Google Tensor chipset.

I am only guessing, but I think it is unlikely Google or GrapheneOS will move the Pixel 5/5a to Android/AOSP 15.

If you are just planning to obtain a very cheap Pixel 'for the laboratory' to learn about GrapheneOS - then a Pixel 4a, 5 or 5a at least gives you Android 14. There is limited difference between 13 and 14 in the way GrapheneOS works - so if it is just an 'experiment' to get experience of GrapheneOS, and you understand there will be no firmware or driver security updates, then a very,very cheap 4 or 4a might still be a way for you to try out GrapheneOS. But, these will NOT be secure phones, just laboratory tools for education.

matchboxbananasynergy

I've removed some posts that were trending towards unproductive discussion.

We highly recommend that people do not use EOL devices beyond a quick test of GrapheneOS, and we especially don't recommend that people buy these devices after their EOL date. If someone's after an affordable option, a used Pixel 6a or 7a might be what makes sense.