What Google's Huawei ban means for millions of Android owners
Huawei has been struck with the most consequential legal action the technology world has seen in some time. Billion-dollar law suits between tech giants are fairly common, pebbles thrown in a pond. But after this Huawei news, however, there’s now a crater where the pond used to sit.
The US government has put Huawei on a blacklist of companies barred from the products and services of US companies. Google is a US company, and the 200-million-plus phones Huawei shipped last year use Google’s Android. This has lead Google to revoke Huawei's Android license in order to comply with the US Commerce Department.
Huawei will no longer have access to Android apart from AOSP, the Android Open Source Project. This doesn’t require a license. Huawei can simply use it.
However, this is the skeleton on which the bulk of Android hangs. It’s a plate, not a meal. It’s a foundation, not a building. Gmail, Google Maps, the Play Store, Google Assistant, Chrome, Play Music, YouTube, Fit, Drive, Docs and other Google services may all be out of bounds for Huawei going forward.
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And with Qualcomm, Broadcom and Intel set to follow Google in adhering to the US administration’s order, Huawei could be in even bigger trouble. But what does this mean for the average phone buyer?
Will my Huawei phone stop working?
If you already own a Huawei phone, or one from sister brand Honor, it is unlikely to receive any further major Android updates.
This news arrived just a handful of days after Huawei confirmed an Android Q update for recent phones including the Huawei P30 Pro, Mate 20 Pro and Honor View 20. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro was even part of the Android Q Beta programme. At the time of writing, the phone is still listed on Google’s Android Developer website.
This news is particularly bleak for those who spent £900 on a Huawei P30 Pro. But it could be even worse.
Google has confirmed it will not block security and app updates for existing Huawei devices. “We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play and security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device,” the official Android Twitter account wrote on Sunday May 19.
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The worst-case scenario for Huawei and Honor phone owners would be an instant and irrevocable block of all Google services. You wouldn’t be able to run Google Play, or open Gmail. This has not happened, as such phones have already been granted a license by Google.
However, it is also not clear if Huawei and Honor owners will be able to update apps such as Gmail and Maps in the future. Google updates these apps frequently. Maps was last updated on May 16, Google Docs on May 7.
The US government has put Huawei on a blacklist of companies barred from the products and services of US companies. Google is a US company, and the 200-million-plus phones Huawei shipped last year use Google’s Android. This has lead Google to revoke Huawei's Android license in order to comply with the US Commerce Department.
Huawei will no longer have access to Android apart from AOSP, the Android Open Source Project. This doesn’t require a license. Huawei can simply use it.
However, this is the skeleton on which the bulk of Android hangs. It’s a plate, not a meal. It’s a foundation, not a building. Gmail, Google Maps, the Play Store, Google Assistant, Chrome, Play Music, YouTube, Fit, Drive, Docs and other Google services may all be out of bounds for Huawei going forward.
READ NEXT
All the highlights from Apple's WWDC 2019 keynote
All the highlights from Apple's WWDC 2019 keynote
By WIRED
And with Qualcomm, Broadcom and Intel set to follow Google in adhering to the US administration’s order, Huawei could be in even bigger trouble. But what does this mean for the average phone buyer?
Will my Huawei phone stop working?
If you already own a Huawei phone, or one from sister brand Honor, it is unlikely to receive any further major Android updates.
This news arrived just a handful of days after Huawei confirmed an Android Q update for recent phones including the Huawei P30 Pro, Mate 20 Pro and Honor View 20. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro was even part of the Android Q Beta programme. At the time of writing, the phone is still listed on Google’s Android Developer website.
This news is particularly bleak for those who spent £900 on a Huawei P30 Pro. But it could be even worse.
Google has confirmed it will not block security and app updates for existing Huawei devices. “We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play and security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device,” the official Android Twitter account wrote on Sunday May 19.
READ NEXT
The iOS 13 features coming to the first public beta
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By WIRED
The worst-case scenario for Huawei and Honor phone owners would be an instant and irrevocable block of all Google services. You wouldn’t be able to run Google Play, or open Gmail. This has not happened, as such phones have already been granted a license by Google.
However, it is also not clear if Huawei and Honor owners will be able to update apps such as Gmail and Maps in the future. Google updates these apps frequently. Maps was last updated on May 16, Google Docs on May 7.
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