this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2026
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Wouldn't it be better if it DID? Wouldn't that get around all the "tamper" detection stuff?
Right now I have Google Play disabled in my owner profile, but it would be nice if apps in secondary profiles could pass the full Play Integrity checks... even though I'm actively trying to transition away from them.
For example Cisco DUO says my device with GrapheneOS installed has been tampered with, and I was hoping that would go away if I could just buy the phone with GrapheneOS installed.
In the long term, yes it would be better if it shipped.
However, if someone went to a phone store with a stock graphene on display and anything else next to it, which one do you think they'll choose?
Until Graphene's stock experience (i.e stock apps and launcher) mature enough to not look out of place next to google and apple, the average Joe will pick the more polished phone. I hope improving that is a task Motorola will be able to help with, while graphene keeps doing their thing.
Additionally with the app/play store dualopoly, Motorola would be shooting them selves in the foot if they didn't ship with the play store.
Getting an option beside a pixel for Grapheneos is pretty cool and a big step forward. I hope new demand will be high enough to show the decision makers that its an endeavor worth continuing.
It doesn't even need to be in the store, just let me order one online and check off a "GrapheneOS" box, the same way that I can order a Framework laptop with either Windows or Linux.
But I get your point, I can see how someone could get confused when their phone arrived and required some extra tinkering to get Google stuff to work.
People consider the phone features too. For example Huawei has built a really solid following due to their phones' quality and that following didn't go away when Google started sabotaging their phones. Eventually banking apps started releasing versions for Huawei AppGallery (the Huawei Android app store).
So the Google monopoly can be bent if there's sufficient demand.
why, what's the problem with it? that it's not filled with promotional apps?
they could just ask in the setup flow whether to install the play store
Honestly I can't tell the difference with the launcher compared to what shipped on the phone, not that I used that very much - but I upgraded from an LG G8 and the whole thing looks very familiar. The camera app feels very much like the one on my LG but I suspect someone who is more into photography than me would be frustrated by it. But the standout awful stock app has got to be the clock, the ui is clunky and feels awful to use, the tones are obnoxious, and it has all the visual flair of a C student project.
I've mostly just replaced it with the alarm on my smart watch.
Given the past couple years I'd like to think the fraction to choose graphene would be multiple times what it would have been 5-10 years ago. But not close to a majority.
I'm not sure about that. I have been using Graphene for a bit, and its surprising due to Google just how much stuff breaks and simply doesn't work or fails silently under Graphene. It feels like one of the old school Custom ROMs which is great, but not on your daily driver phone.
It wouldn't go away. It will only go away if Google signs grapheneos images. Grapheneos on all supported devices support the required attestation already. It is just Google pettiness.
I believe the play services agreement ~~Motorola~~ Lenovo signs to get the play store on their devices would forbid that.
Yes sure. I was merely commenting on the misunderstanding surrounding this.