Huawei, which is one of the biggest telecommunications giants in the world, plans to launch its smart phones next month without the use of Google services because of US trade ban. Huawei plans to launch its 5G-capable Mate 30 line of smartphones next month. This is its first major phone release since US trade restrictions against it was instituted.
In the previous invention of Huawei smartphones, it uses Google’s Android operating system before the US trade ban. According to google, due to the US restrictions on trade with Huawei, the new phone would not be able to host Google services including Maps, YouTube, Photos and the Play Store.
In May, the Chinese firm was banned by the US government over claims that it was a threat to US national security over its alleged ties to the Chinese government – something Huawei denied. The US government issued a temporary licence in the summer and renewed it again last week. That has allowed Huawei to maintain existing devices, but Google said that the licence did not apply to new products such as the Mate 30.
tlivemedia.com reports that Huawei spokesman said, “Huawei will continue to use the Android OS and ecosystem if the US government allows us to do so, otherwise we will continue to develop our own operating system and ecosystem.”
In June, Huawei’s UK managing director, Anson Zhang, said “nothing has changed” for the company despite the ban, and it would continue to provide software and security updates for Android in short and long term.
This month, the company unveiled its own operating system called “HarmonyOS” which they would use if they were no longer able to access Android, but it said its first choice was to continue using Google’s platform. Huawei has set up a website called “Huawei Answers” for customers concerned about Google licensing issues.