Linux & Open Source News Finally, some good FOSS smartphone news, new x86 actor
21 snips
Oct 18, 2025 Exciting news in the smartphone world as GrapheneOS expands support beyond Pixels to more devices. The Free Software Foundation's LibrePhone project aims to eliminate proprietary software from modern phones. A new player in the x86 CPU arena is making waves, adding competition to the market. KDE celebrates its 29th birthday with a fundraising initiative. Meanwhile, Windows 10 reaches end of life, prompting users to consider Linux. Plus, Mozilla tests a built-in VPN for Firefox, and an important migration to FOSS email happens in Germany.
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GrapheneOS Expands Beyond Pixels
- GrapheneOS will expand beyond Pixel by partnering with a major OEM to ship phones preinstalled with GrapheneOS.
- These devices will use Snapdragon chips, be Pixel-priced, and may arrive in late 2026 or early 2027.
LibrePhone Targets Firmware Freedom First
- The Free Software Foundation's LibrePhone aims to reverse-engineer firmware and binary blobs to free a modern phone's software stack.
- The project targets replacing proprietary modules for one phone first and may be a long, device-specific effort.
Mysterious New x86 Entrant Appears
- A new x86 actor submitted novel opcode values to the Linux kernel mailing list via Christian Ludloff, implying a non-Intel/AMD x86 entrant.
- The origin remains unclear but could signal more competition or architectural change in x86 space.