Huawei’s Android License Revoked by Google – updates

As the title says Huawei’s Android License Revoked by Google. Yes, The internet is going crazy when Google announces that they are revoking Android license to Huawei. This issue caused too much noise in social media, and much of a concern to Huawei smartphone users.

The Shenzhen based Chinese giant-tech Company, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. faces another devastating news. Google has revoked their license on Android OS effective immediately. This is in line with the Trump Administration’s decision to blacklist Huawei devices to the United States.

Huawei’s Android License Revoked by Google – No Longer can deliver Google Services

Huawei being the second top smartphones manufacturing in the world in terms of sale, next only to Apple. Not only smartphones, but Huawei is also a top manufacturing of internet-related devices, like routers- which dominates Europe sales. They have been the target of the Trump administration, accusing that Huawei equipment are being used for espionage by the Chinese State.  This allegation has been long denied by the company saying that they are not a government owned company and that they are not beholden to Beijing. But fewer countries followed the ban of Huawei devices concerning the same reason with the US government, these countries include Australia, Japan and Taiwan.

With the rising trade war and diplomatic tension between China and US, President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order and declared a national emergency to prohibit US company from sending hardware goods to Huawei. This however does not bother Huawei since according to them they have more than enough stockpile of hardware goods.

But as part of the blacklisting of the US government, Google has revoked Huawei’s Android license and it is effective right away, this means that Huawei will no longer have “access to proprietary apps and services from Google,” as reported by Reuters.  

In simpler terms, Huawei and its sub-brand Honor will no longer have newer updates of Android Operating Service henceforth. But assured that existing Huawei devices will be working as usual and can still update apps on the Google Play Store. Google also twitted on May 20, 2019 in Twitter with their Android Account: “For Huawei users’ questions regarding our steps to comply w/ the recent US government actions: We assure you while we are complying with all US gov’t requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device.”

This means also that Huawei will no longer be part of the Android Beta Programs starting with the next release of Android OS upgrades. Also the phones that they will be manufacturing will no longer be Android supported.

In a statement from Huawei in response to all these matter:

“Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world. As one of Android’s key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefitted both users and the industry.

Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products covering those have been sold or still in stock globally.

We will continue to build a safe and sustainable software ecosystem, in order to provide the best experience for all users globally.”

– Huawei

Following the footsteps of Google in cutting ties with Huawei are American computer hardware manufacturing companies such as Qualcomm, Intel, Xilinx and Broadcom. These companies also announced that they will break trade with Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. effective also immediately. According to a Bloomberg report, analyst Ryan Koontz said that “Huawei

is heavily dependent on U.S. semiconductor products and would be seriously crippled without supply of key U.S. components,” These companies plays a very significant role to Huawei, for example, Intel is Huawei’s primary supplier of chips sued for data centers, Qualcomm being responsible for SnapDragon SoC’s for Honor 8c and Broadcomm supplies packet switching chips for telecom equipment. These actions again are in lined with the US government blacklisting Huawei in the United States. Reportedly, there are almost 30 American companies which are essential suppliers for Huawei and will also soon break ties with the company.

These has put Huawei into a really bad situations. But considering that they are a huge company, the only plausible option that Huawei can do for now is to create its own operating system, which has been rumored to already work on by the company. As we all know, in contrary, Google Play Store and Apple Store are ban in China, Chinese smartphone users have their own operating system and own app store. If Huawei will have their own operating system, the challenge for them is to introduce it to their user, since it has been overly known that Huawei has Android all along, so shifting the operating system to a new one might be a bit of a challenge to their users which were used to have Android.

With all these matters happening to Huawei, it announced that their launching of the new Honor 20 will not be affected. The launch of the Honor 20 series will still push through on May 21, 2019 in London.

UPDATES:

In May 20, 2019, days after the ban was implemented, the United States Commerce department granted Huawei a “Temporary General License”, this license is giving Huawei 90 days, that’s until August 19, 2019, to “maintain existing networks and provide software updates to existing Huawei handsets.”

And with this grant from The United States Commerce Department, Google has reversed its decision about the revocation of Android license to Huawei, Google will now continue to send software updates to Huawei devices until August 19, 2019.

According to Google Spokesperson : “Keeping phones up to date and secure is in everyone’s best interests and this temporary license allows us to continue to provide software updates and security patches to existing models for the next 90 days.” 

After the 90 day temporary license, the United States Commerce Department will reassess the situation and will move forward from there. But it is good to know that Huawei android phones are back to normal and safe.