Huawei Is Now Back on Google’s Android Q Beta Program

It looks like Huawei is going to end this week on a good note. It has been a rough couple of weeks for the Chinese tech giant but things are looking relatively positive for them. Since the USA trade ban got effective things have been going downhill for them. Their trade allies went cold on them suspending any future partnerships with them.

Google was the first to drop the ball for Huawei by suspending business with them in regard to ‘transfer of hardware and software products except those covered by open licenses’. Huawei lost access to updates to Android via Google but could still have access through the open license but no technical and collaborative support for the OS and Google services. This led to confusion among Huawei consumers who already had purchased their devices.

Huawei then cleared the air saying current Android devices will continue to get support although the future of its smartphone business was still unknown. Huawei even added that they are not going to abandon their devices because they will continue to receive security updates and after-sale support.

The US government later eased the ban giving the company a temporary reprieve – a time period to buy time for Huawei to figure out alternative sources for its US-made components. and its enable them to pass along security patches and software updates to their clients and keep existing networks operating such as telecom providers in rural areas of the United States,  Europe and other countries in the meantime. This reprieve also temporarily brought back their Android license too.

Things continued to escalate as Huawei’s flagship, the Mate 20 Pro got delisted from the Android Q Beta program. Huawei Mate 20 Pro was the only phone from the company granted the chance to try out Google’s new operating system.

Huawei git cut from other partners such as ARM who license their designs for Huawei’s in-house chips, although the chip supplier was not worried as they believed that they could continue doing business with Huawei.

Reportedly Huawei was already working on its own Android replacement and app store.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro back on Android Q Beta program.

According to the list of Android Q Beta testers, Huawei made a surprise reentrance. According to AndroidPollice, Huawei has currently limited testing to Google Play app developers from central and eastern Europe who have at least one app on the store with build updates are scheduled for every Tuesday and Thursday until 30th June.

Huawei devices are still missing from other Android programs such as their list of devices and Enterprise.

Huawei Reinstated

Huawei has also been allowed to use MicroSD cards in their smartphones after being ejected from the SD association which could have something to do with the earlier 90-day reprieve granted to them. The Bluetooth and Wi-Fi associations have also reinstated the company too after snubbing them.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE has also lifted its ban against Huawei-affiliated scholars after requesting and receiving a “clarification” from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“This is the best news I ever heard,” said IEEE member Zhang Haixia. The scholar at China’s prestigious Peking University had previously vowed to quit her position as an IEEE journal editor.

Lawsuit

Huawei is also pursuing a lawsuit against the U.S. that faults the ban, terming it ‘unconstitutional’ and a bullying tactic. Huawei says that it wants the Trump administration to cease mounting illegal actions against it and that the antics are malicious as they target to put the 30-year old tech company out of business.