Home Technology Huawei has lost access to Google and Android after Trump blacklist

Huawei has lost access to Google and Android after Trump blacklist

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As part of the fallout from the ongoing trade war between the US and China, Huawei has now lost access to Android and its apps. There’s a Trump-led US crackdown on Chinese technologies, ostensibly because of security concerns – though it more likely than not boils down to money. Under the new executive order signed by US President Donald Trump last week, the secretary of commerce has the power to prevent US-based companies with foreign ones that are deemed a security risk.

While the order doesn’t specifically name any companies, it largely targeted at Huawei, with the US government believing that companies like Huawei could be forced by the Chinese government to install spyware and backdoors on equipment meant for the US market. With that now in effect, it looks like US companies have been banned from dealing with Huawei. Those companies include Google, who by virtue of its Android operating system, form the software backbone of Huawei’s mobile devices.

While current devices are safe, future Huawei mobiles won’t be allowed to use Android in any guise other than the Android Open Source Project. Google will not be allowed to aid Huawei in development of its phones, and those phones will not be allowed to carry official Google apps like Gmail, the Play Store and more.

“Huawei Technologies Co Ltd will immediately lose access to updates to the Android operating system, and the next version of its smartphones outside of China will also lose access to popular applications and services including the Google Play Store and Gmail app,” says Reuters.

Google has also released a statement, saying it will comply with US laws.

It seems that chip suppliers like Intel and Qualcomm will also be barred from doing business with Huawei. While this is all likely because of the trade war, it’s likely to hurt US companies more than anticipated. Huawei is currently the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer on the planet, having displaced the US-based Apple. With their future phones not likely to use Qualcomm chips or Google’s Android beyond the AOSP, it’s likely that Huawei will R&D their own chips to fill that void and their own fork of Android. It’s worth noting that Huawei already uses its own Kirin chips to power their devices, but there are all sorts of other little SoCs and chips that phones use.

Existing Huawei phone users needn’t worry, as they’ll still receive updates and continue to use the apps and services available to them. It might not be prudent to buy Huawei devices in the future though.

Last Updated: May 20, 2019

50 Comments

  1. HvR

    May 20, 2019 at 08:53

    Even though they use their subsidiary HiSilicon’s chips they need to license 3G/4G/5G.modem technology from Qualcomm; although they might just go ahead and stop paying license fees since the ban effectively gives them an out in all non-US markets since they can effectively argue along the lines of monopoly laws they are unfairly shut out of the market.

    Other issue is their partnership with Leica, although German their biggest shareholders are US equity firms.

    Biggest looser however will be US IoT device companies, especially small upstarts as HiSilicon SoC is a favourite when it comes to low cost IoT devices due to the low price.

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      May 20, 2019 at 09:25

      The US stands to lose far more out of the trade war with china than they realise.

      Reply

      • HvR

        May 20, 2019 at 09:25

        Both countries are seriously fooked if this drags on; they might not like it but their economies are so entangled one can not survive without the other.

        Reply

      • Pariah

        May 20, 2019 at 09:39

        I bet many more of them realise than what they’re letting on, but they’re fighting against their toddler-in-chief who truly doesn’t understand.

        Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      May 20, 2019 at 09:09

      yeah they will 100% just stop licencing fee’s, what is Qualcomm going to do, sue them? Your honour, this company we are legally banned from working with isn’t paying us… erm.. I mean… I OBJECT

      America has become a cancer on this planet, they need a civil war to sort their shit out

      Reply

      • HvR

        May 20, 2019 at 09:09

        Well one goood thing is Trump re-election is probably down the drain, whole of silicone valley will now throw money behind alternative GOP candidates and Dems.

        Reply

        • Gavin Mannion

          May 20, 2019 at 09:24

          You’d think that, but he has a 48% approval rating and I’m seeing more and more silicon valley people supporting him. Remember he slashed corporate tax rates so the super rich are just getting richer so they don’t care about this or anyone outside of America

          Reply

          • HvR

            May 20, 2019 at 09:24

            They will care less on the billions saved after this move is costing them 10’s of billions.

            And that approval rating is about to take a plummet when people are paying 25% for their Apple and other US tech devices and small tech companies that manufacture in the US start closing down.

          • Pariah

            May 20, 2019 at 09:24

            Well most likely that cost will filter down to the regular American.

          • HvR

            May 20, 2019 at 09:24

            It will but they will loose market share against Korean products (Samsung and LG etc) which are not affected.

          • Gavin Mannion

            May 20, 2019 at 09:24

            yeah it already is, but they are such a fear mongered society they think it’s just the price that needs paying to protect them from Mexican’s, Chinese, Europeans, Russians etc.. didn’t you know, the world is out to get them

          • Pariah

            May 20, 2019 at 09:25

            While we know the world isn’t out to get them, Trump sure is making a case for it. Absolute tool, but that’s what the people voted for.

          • HvR

            May 20, 2019 at 09:25

            That is probably a bit of a generalization biggest political faction is the centrists who tend to look past the BS in the most part; but yes the very vocal minority is coming over as more and more paranoid. Problem is the Dems are so DA-retarted in their actions with all their Russian fear-mongering the last 4 years they now have been handed the perfect Trump card that they can not use.

          • Gavin Mannion

            May 20, 2019 at 09:24

            I admire your optimism… I don’t think there is a chance in hell though

        • For the Emperor!

          May 20, 2019 at 09:39

          Most of silicone valley were already on the anti-Trump train. It did not help them thus far. Also, the democrats have not yet produced a candidate that could unite their side of the vote against him. 2020 will be interesting indeed.

          Reply

          • HvR

            May 20, 2019 at 10:51

            They were probably mostly anti-Trump but more apathetic than actively donating and opposing him.

  2. Fox1

    May 20, 2019 at 10:38

    China is getting along well without Google Play Services and the Play Store. It’s getting along so well that Google needs Huawei more than the other way around.

    Reply

  3. Craig "Crios" Boonzaier

    May 20, 2019 at 10:38

    I have been looking at going full circle anyway and trying out the new Nokia Android One devices

    Reply

    • For the Emperor!

      May 20, 2019 at 10:38

      I am looking to go CAT. I don’t need a powerful device, and also not the best camera. I need more ruggedness for outdoors things. So a CAT S41 is what I am looking at. The S61 has the awesome FLIR but that is a nice-to-have that will “get old” after one week.

      Reply

      • Craig "Crios" Boonzaier

        May 20, 2019 at 10:38

        Cool, will give it a look, forgot about CAT completely. I generally stick to more mid range phones.

        Reply

        • For the Emperor!

          May 20, 2019 at 11:12

          The S41 really is mid range, but can cost a little more than comparative mid range phones due to the ruggedness. Have heard a few people complain about the S60, but that was the previous “generation” of their phones and I assume most of the issues are solved now. Had Vodacom had the S41 I would renew my contract with them today. But they only have the S31 which is below what I want.

          Reply

          • HvR

            May 20, 2019 at 11:23

            Would probably try to test drive one.

            Sluggish UI has been major complaint since the first generation and seems to be still present in current generation.

          • For the Emperor!

            May 20, 2019 at 11:45

            Fortunately I hardly use my phone, and currently still on a Galaxy S5. So the sluggish UI for me won’t bother until it does 😛

    • Skittle

      May 20, 2019 at 19:48

      Give Sony a try, I recently got the Xperia 10 Plus and I’m loving it.

      Reply

  4. HvR

    May 20, 2019 at 11:12

    On a lighter note. I call for a CH public inquiry into Geoff’s actions.

    How can you write an article about such bad news without a single Huawei pun to lighten the mood.
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DxCi02hUYAABm6u.jpg

    Reply

  5. G8crasha

    May 20, 2019 at 08:53

    Why is Trump still in power might I ask? I don’t know if he will go down in history as the worst US president or not. I doubt he will be up there with the best!

    Reply

    • For the Emperor!

      May 20, 2019 at 09:39

      Because he has done nothing impeachable to remove him. And with all the focus on the Mueller report and the “obvious collusion” over the last few years, the Democrats have not done themselves any favors and have not produced one candidate for 2020 that has any proper policy stances to oppose him.

      Reply

      • Pariah

        May 20, 2019 at 09:39

        They have them Dems, we have the DA. Same same.

        Reply

        • For the Emperor!

          May 20, 2019 at 10:10

          Only difference is that here there was actual evidence of wrongdoing. While there was evidence of Russian interference over there, no evidence of collusion ever existed. The rest, yeah, same same 🙁

          Reply

    • Skittle

      May 20, 2019 at 19:48

      Because, despite everyone in the anti-Trump group claiming all these awful illegal things that he has done they can’t provide solid evidence to have him impeached.

      Reply

  6. HvR

    May 20, 2019 at 09:09

    Is Samsung maybe not funding Trump’s next election campaign because they are probably the only tech company that is coming out of this thing unscathed.

    Samsung boardroom probably looked this when the news was announced:
    https://i.giphy.com/media/13SbGD4j7TlqZG/giphy.webp

    Reply

  7. Llama In The Rift

    May 20, 2019 at 09:55

    When buying gear in a game on the black market seems cool…now its legit.

    Reply

  8. Fox1

    May 20, 2019 at 10:10

    Can China suddenly push up export taxes on tyres by 100% to US even the playing fields?

    Today it’s Google, tomorrow it’s MS shutting down your PC because you’ve got a Redragon mouse made in China.

    Reply

  9. Skittle

    May 20, 2019 at 19:48

    SONY4LIFE!!

    Reply

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