Why aren't Android manufacturers interested in GrapheneOS?

Question

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

chiefalchemist · Accepted Answer

I&rsquo;m not sure about FairPhone but large companies such as Samsung don&rsquo;t want to upset Alphabet / Google.Btw, afaik GrapheneOS is coming out with their own hardware. Evidently in 2026 or 2027.

jqpabc123 · Answer

The smartphone market is controlled by hardware manufacturers.
They have everything incentive to obsolete your phone as soon as possible and sell you a new one --- even if the old one is still perfectly functional.
One way they do this is by limiting software updates, patches and bug fixes.
This is a money losing endeavor from their perspective. Allowing an independent OS to step in and provide updates and support does the same.

incomingpain · Answer

>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)?
It's the same reason car manufacturers basically dont care about your car once it drives off the dealership lot. Why Tesla continuing to update has been a new era of your car getting better after purchase giving Tesla a huge value advantage. Which later turned into a negative as they can decide to brick your car on a highway, but that's another discussion.
Whereas android auto was supposed to make the cars less obsolete from an infotainment pov anyway.
But also dont just jump to 'cost center' and corporate greed. They have a bigger problem to deal with. Aging batteries that take a beating from being dropped. Everyone drops their phone.
If they built these to last 10 years. The battery degradation of dropping to 50-70% original capacity would make their brand look bad. There would certainly be way more cellphones bursting and catching fire in public.
The balance is then in the pudding. Sell more every 3 years, or 5 or 7, and keep on the cutting edge.
This is also why there's no rush toward better batteries. If solid state batteries in cellphones become a thing, then replacing your cellphone may drop; and so will their bottom line.