Huawei has been under immense pressure for a long time now. It has navigated the murky waters of trade wars successfully until yesterday when Google announced that it would effectively cut ties with manufacturer. The development implies that future Huawei and Honor devices will not ship with Android, and while the implication of this blow is yet to be assessed fully, the corporation has shed some light into the matter.
The official statement on our desk is fresh from Huawei Global. The statement complements an earlier version that was communicated a little earlier, and further addresses some issues that have since been raised as by current users of Huawei devices.
Will this have an impact on Huawei’s existing sales? How much of an impact will this have on Huawei’s Consumer global business?
Huawei is not going to abandon its devices because they will continue to receive security updates and after-sale support. Devices that are in store shelves or are slated for distribution will equally benefit from after-sales commitment.
Will Huawei continue using Google services and apps?
According to the corporation, Google services and apps associated with Android that have already been sold or are being sold will not be affected by the ban. This implies users will continue enjoying the services as it has been the case.
Will the ban affect the regular use of Huawei phones?
‘The products we have sold and currently sell will not be affected. You will be able to use them as you normally would.’
Will Huawei phones be able to receive Android updates??
‘We will continue providing updates for Huawei EMUI.’
Further examination of this response implies that major Android updates that are regulated and examined by Google before deployment will not be sent to Huawei phones. EMUI is Huawei’s custom overlay on top of Android, and has nothing to do with Google.
The road to Android Q will be communicated down the line, although we are skeptical about it. It is worth noting, however, that one of its flagships phones from 2018 the Mate 20 Pro is one of the devices under the Android Q beta test program.
Updates will not affect non-Google apps – but those updates are sent via the Play Store that is owned by Google, a development that introduces another variable in the equation.
Huawei adds that it will be sending security patches as well.
Does this mean that Huawei will speed up the development and deployment of its own operating system?
This is what Huawei says: Android is open source, and Huawei has made substantial contributions to its development and growth around the world. We will continue to prioritize the development and use of the Android ecosystem.
This post will be updated with more details as more details unravel.
