US Forces Google to Pull Huawei’s Android License
No more US-made components OR software for 2nd largest smartphone maker in the world
Following the US crackdown on Chinese technology companies, Google has cut off Huawei’s Android license, dealing a huge blow to the besieged phonemaker. Reuters first reported the news, and The Verge subsequently confirmed Google’s suspension of business with Huawei with a source familiar with the matter.
Reached for comment, a Google spokesperson said only “We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications.” The order, in this case, appears to be the US Commerce Department’s recent decision to place Huawei on the “Entity List,” which as Reuters reports is a list of companies that are unable to buy technology from US companies without government approval.
Speaking to Reuters, a Google spokesperson confirmed that “Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices.” So while existing Huawei phones around the world won’t be immediately impacted by the decision, the future of updates for those phones as well as any new phones Huawei would produce remains in question.
Huawei is now restricted to using the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), cutting the company off from critical Google apps and services that consumers outside of China expect on Android devices.
That also means Huawei will only be able to push security updates for Android once they’re made available in AOSP, assuming the company uses its own update system. It’s not clear yet how this will affect the full range of Android integrations that Huawei depends on, but we will update this story when we receive additional clarification about the impacts of Google’s decision.
Huawei has been under increasing pressure from President Trump and the US government over fears that its equipment could be used by the Chinese government to spy on American networks. These fears have been under construction for a long time; In 2018, US intelligence agencies warned against using Huawei and ZTE devices, and US politicians have described Huawei as “effectively an arm of the Chinese government.”
Huawei maintains that it is not possible for the Chinese government to poison its equipment with backdoors, and it has remained optimistic about the future of its business. But this latest setback from Google poses a grave risk to the future of Huawei’s core mobile business. The company was already preparing its own operating systems in the event of being banned from using Android and Windows, but given US fears about foreign interference, a home-grown OS is likely to face even more scrutiny than Google’s software.
Source: The Verge
When retribution comes one wouldn’t want to be a US citizen; many have an axe to grind with the US and vengeance will be sweet.
so be it……. can’t wait to see
The ‘fear’ of the US government of the Huwawei phones (and other technology) is that it is competing and overpowering the networks the US has currently. When Washington says that Such and Such country or company is a security threat (which they did in this case), they are really saying: The US can’t compete, so we have to stop the competition
Be careful America , your illegal sanctions , bullying , genocidal wars etc , are having a serious adverse effect around the world. My family and friends already boycott all Israeli goods and have now decided to do the same will all American goods….it won’t really be that difficult as no sane person would buy American foods….we prefer not to be constantly exposed to cancerous GMO’s , chlorine or steroids , but we will boycott everything else also…..all tech , hardware etc…….from small acorns , large oaks grow.
Good for you! Too bad US consumers can’t buy Russian agriculture products…
they are strictly non GMO and I think, organic….
“cutting the company off from critical Google apps and services that consumers outside of China expect on Android devices”
bye, bye google
these apps have probably been all reverse-engineered by now.
this was too be expected.
what google lost is the spyware possibilities/capabilities.
anyone can hang an app on open-source.
that’s the beauty of open-source.
!!!!!!!!
God, what a total shit Trump is!
hey, Trump’s just doing what he knows best – bankruptcy