Following a blacklist order last week from US President Trump, Google is reportedly ceasing business with Huawei entirely. According to the report, future Huawei devices won’t have access to any Google services, including the Play Store.

Reuters cites a source close to the matter which claims that Google will “immediately” cease business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware and/or software products. This means that the Google Play Store, Play Services, and collaboration within the Android operating system itself will no longer be available to Huawei.

Apparently, specific details are still being discussed by Google internally, but this effective ban would limit Huawei solely to using the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). For future Huawei devices, the Play Store wouldn’t be supported, and Google’s own apps such as Gmail or Chrome won’t be available either.

Alphabet Inc’s Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware and software products except those covered by open source licenses… Huawei Technologies Co Ltd will immediately lose access to updates to the Android operating system, and the next version of its smartphones outside of China will also lose access to popular applications and services including the Google Play Store and Gmail app. Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license that is freely open to anyone who wishes to use it. But Google will stop providing any technical support and collaboration for Android and Google services to Huawei going forward, the source said.

Google apps and the Play Store may end up disappearing from Huawei devices

From the looks of it, current Huawei devices won’t be immediately affected by this change. The Play Store and Google’s applications will still work on those devices. However, future releases even sold outside of China won’t include any of Google’s apps or services.

Eventually, though, this could affect devices that have already been sold, as future Android updates – such as the promised Q updates – could see trouble with Play Store access. Notably, it would also imply that Huawei won’t end up releasing another Wear OS device.

In any case, losing Google’s various services as well as its support in Android is going to be a major blow to Huawei’s smartphone business. The company has previously mentioned that it has an operating system in the works that could replace Android on its devices, but even that would be a major drawback for customers. After all, it was called a “worst-case scenario,” and now it looks like it’s come true…
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Check out 9to5Google on YouTube for more news: </s> Alphabet's Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing, in a blow to the Chinese technology company that the US government has sought to blacklist around the world.

Holders of current Huawei smartphones with Google apps, however, will continue to be able to use and download app updates.

"We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a Google spokesperson said.

The suspension could hobble Huawei's smartphone business outside China as the tech giant will immediately lose access to updates to Google's Android operating system.

Future versions of Huawei smartphones that run on Android will also lose access to popular services including the Google Play Store and Gmail and YouTube apps.

"Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android and will not be able to get access to proprietary apps and services from Google," a source told Reuters.

Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and the Chrome browser that are available through Google's Play Store will disappear from future Huawei handsets as those services are not covered by the open source license and require a commercial agreement with Google.

But users of existing Huawei devices who have access to the Google Play Store will still be able to download app updates provided by Google.

Apps such as Gmail are updated through the store, unlike operating system updates which are typically handled by phone manufacturers and telecoms carriers, which the blacklist could affect.

The Trump administration on Thursday added Huawei Technologies to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the company to do business with US counterparts.

On Friday the US Commerce Department said it was considering scaling back restrictions on Huawei to "prevent the interruption of existing network operations and equipment." It was not immediately clear on Sunday whether Huawei's access to mobile software would be affected.

The extent to which Huawei will be hurt by the US government's blacklist is not yet known as its global supply chain assesses the impact. Chip experts have questioned Huawei's ability to continue to operate without US help.

The impact is expected to be minimal in the Chinese market. Most Google mobile apps are banned in China, where alternatives are offered by domestic competitors such as Tencent and Baidu.

Huawei has said it has spent the last few years preparing a contingency plan by developing its own technology in case it is blocked from using Android. Some of this technology is already being used in products sold in China.

Huawei's European business, its second-biggest market, could be hit as Huawei licenses these services from Google in Europe. </s> Google confirmed today that it has blocked Android updates on Huawei phones , to comply with a US government order blacklisting the Chinese firm.

Last week, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order effectively banning the Chinese firm from using US technology without government permission.

Google said it was "complying with the order and reviewing the implications", but assured Huawei users that their current phones would continue to work.

Huawei is currently the third most popular smartphone brand in the UK after Apple and Samsung, accounting for 12.4% of shipments in 2018, according to Strategy Analytics.

Here's what you need to know about the ban, and how it will affect you.

What does it mean for Android?

Google said that "Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices".

In other words, you will still be able to download apps from the Google Play store and benefit from Google's built-in malware protection for Android.

However, the block is likely to prevent future updates to Android reaching Huawei devices.

Key Google apps such as the Google Play Store, Gmail and Google Maps may also not appear on future Huawei devices.

Instead, the Chinese firm will be reliant on the version of Android available through an open source licence, which is vastly more limited in its features.

What does it mean for Huawei?

Huawei said it will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products.

This includes those that have been sold or are still in stock globally.

"Huawei has made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world," the Chinese company said in a statement.

"As one of Android's key global partners, we have worked closely with their open-source platform to develop an ecosystem that has benefited both users and the industry.

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

However, Ben Wood, Chief of Research at CCS Insight, said that any disruption in getting updates to the software or the associated apps could have considerable implications for Huawei's smartphone business.

"We still don’t have a clear understanding of what Google has told Huawei and what elements of the Android operating system may be restricted, so it remains unclear what the ramifications will be," he said.

What should you do if you own a Huawei or Honor phone?

People who currently own Huawei smartphones do not need to worry, according to Wood.

"At present any measures would only affect future devices and future updates," he said.

However, many Huawei phone owners are understandably worried by the news that their devices won't be receiving future Android or Google app updates.

According to the consumer watchdog Which?, anyone who bought a phone online in the last 14 days can return it under Consumer Contracts Regulations.

If you've owned the phone for longer than that, however, you may have difficulty returning it.

"In this situation, your consumer rights are limited as there's currently nothing faulty with these phones," said Kate Bevan, Editor of Which? Computing.

"However, if you purchased a phone in recent weeks it may be worth checking the retailer's returns policy."

Alternatively, you could trade in your Huawei device for another smartphone brand, if you are concerned about not receiving future updates.

According to tech site musicMagpie, there has been a 25% increase in the number of Huawei trade-ins this morning, compared with an average Monday morning.

"This shows that Huawei users are preparing for a potential device change in the event of further restrictions being put in place against the Chinese phone manufacturer," said Liam Howley, CMO at musicMagpie.

He added that the value of flagship Huawei handsets like the P20 and P30 has depreciated significantly in the last year.

"The P20 has depreciated by a huge 81%, whilst the P30 which was only released last month, has depreciated by 46% already," he said.

Should you buy a new Huawei phone?

If you were planning to buy a new Huawei or Honor phone, it might be worth holding off for now, until it is clear what the company plans to do.

Tristan Rayner, senior editor at Android Authority warned that buying future Huawei phones would be a "real risk" under the restrictions.

"Future Huawei devices will be significantly affected," he said.

"We now know that future devices cannot be loaded with the Google Play Store, or those Google apps like Gmail or Google Maps.

"Play Services will also not be available, which is a core set of features responsible for many underlying operations on modern Android devices.

If Google continues to withhold Android updates from future Huawei phones, the Chinese company may be forced to develop its own operating system for the devices, according to Wood.

"Huawei has been working hard on developing its own App Gallery and other software assets in a similar manner to the work it has done on developing its own chipsets for phones," he said.

"There is little doubt these efforts are part of its desire to control its own destiny.

"Last year, CCS Insight predicted that tensions between the China and the US would present a strong incentive for Chinese companies to create their own operating system for smart devices.

"Given recent developments that seems more likely than ever." </s> Google has suspended its business ties with Huawei partially after the United States placed the Chinese firm on a blacklist, even as Google’s apps on Huawei smartphones will continue getting updates.

Last week, the United States had included Huawei to a list of companies that Americans cannot do business with unless they possess a licence.

Google suspended business that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services, except the ones that are publicly available through open source licensing, Reuters reported on Sunday. A version of the Android operating system is available through an open source license, so Huawei can continue using that.

However, a Google spokesperson later told Reuters that current users of Huawei smartphones that have Google apps will be able to continue using and downloading app updates.

“We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications,” the spokesperson said. “For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices.”

The suspension could adversely affect the Chinese company’s business outside China as it will immediately lose access to updates to Google’s Android operating system. The newer version of Huawei’s phones, which operate on Android, will also lose out on popular services such as the Google Play Store, Gmail and YouTube apps.

On May 15, United States President Donald Trump had signed an executive order declaring a national emergency to ban American telecom companies from using foreign-made equipment that are considered to be a threat to national security. Huawei is the biggest supplier of network gear in the world that is used by cellphone and internet companies.

Many other countries, along with the United States, have said that Huawei products may be used by China for surveillance. However, the company has denied these allegations.

The United States commerce department also added the Chinese company to its “entity list” in order to ban it from availing of technology from American firms without government approval. Reacting to the United State’s decision to put the Chinese company on the list, Huawei’s chief executive Ren Zhengfei said that they had already “been preparing for this”.

“Huawei has been working hard on developing its own App Gallery and other software assets in a similar manner to its work on chipset solutions,” he said, according to BBC. “There is little doubt these efforts are part of its desire to control its own destiny.”

Huawei has said that by restricting the company from doing business, the United States will have to resort to “inferior yet more expensive alternatives”. “...leaving the US lagging behind in 5G deployment, and eventually harming the interests of US companies and consumers,” the company had said in a statement. The company also said that it was willing to work with the United States government to ensure product security.

This is a direct effect of the trade war between the United States and China as the two countries have not been able to reach an agreement on dealings. On May 10, Trump increased import duty on Chinese products, worth a total of nearly $300 billion. Beijing had also announced plans to hike tariffs on $60 billion worth of imports from the United States beginning on June 1. </s> Google says it will stop offering Android updates for phones made by the Chinese telecom company Huawei. The move follows a U.S. executive order that American companies stop doing business with any foreign company that harms national security interests.

Google, owned by Alphabet, "has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services except those publicly available via open source licensing," Reuters first reported. In a statement, Google confirmed the news: "We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications," a spokesperson said, according to CNBC.

In practice, this means Huawei won't be able to license Google's Android operating system, so Huawei phone users will lose access to updates. Future versions of Huawei smartphones running Android won't be able to access popular Google apps including Gmail, YouTube, and the Google Play store – which lets users easily download third-party apps.

Huawei is one of the world's largest smartphone suppliers, second only to Samsung. In losing access to the latest Google software, Huawei may find it difficult to compete in the global smartphone market, CNN reports.

Google isn't the only company cutting ties with Huawei. American chipmakers such as Intel, Qualcomm and Broadcom have told their employees that they will stop supplying Huawei, Bloomberg reported. And the Nikkei Asian Review reported that the German chipmaker Infineon has also stopped shipments to Huawei.

The Trump administration last week restricted the sale of U.S. technology which seemed aimed at Huawei. An executive order signed by the president declared a "national emergency" and blocked U.S. companies from doing business with foreign tech companies that pose "an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States." The Commerce Department said it would add Huawei and its subsidiaries to a list of companies generally prohibited from buying U.S. technology.

Huawei, which has denied allegations that it spies on its users, says it has been preparing for the possibility that it might lose access to American companies. In March, Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer products division, told a German newspaper that Huawei had prepared its own operating system in case it lost access to Android. "That's our plan B," Yu said. "But of course we prefer to work with the ecosystems of Google and Microsoft." The company has stockpiled enough chips to keep its phone business running for months, Bloomberg reports.

According to Ryan Koontz, an analyst with Rosenblatt Securities Inc., the U.S. ban could have a major impact on China's ability to build 5G networks, as Huawei is dependent on U.S. components like semiconductors.

"The extreme scenario of Huawei's telecom network unit failing would set China back many years and might even be viewed as an act of war by China," Koontz told Bloomberg. "Such a failure would have massive global telecom market implications." </s> Google is restricting future business with Huawei, cutting off access to its Android operating system and its popular apps, after the Trump administration escalated a crackdown on the Chinese tech firm.

Google’s suspension, first reported by Reuters, amounts to a major blow to the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker, which will no longer receive access and support for Google’s proprietary apps like Gmail, YouTube and Chrome.

The open source version of Android will still be available to Huawei, according to the report, but the Chinese tech giant will immediately lose access to updates to the operating system. And though existing Huawei users can still download popular Google apps through the Google Play store, they won’t be available on future Huawei handsets.

People who already own Huawei phones will not see a sudden disappearance of their services.

“We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications,” Google said in a statement Monday. “For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices.”

Google’s suspension is the latest blow against Huawei. Last week, the U.S. government added Huawei to its “Entity List,” forcing the company to obtain a U.S. government license to buy American technology. Known to some as the “death penalty,” the designation makes it virtually impossible for firms to survive once U.S. businesses cut off their dealings.

The penalty was seen as a dramatic escalation of the economic clash between the Trump administration and China.

The Commerce Department said it had initiated the crackdown because Huawei “is engaged in activities that are contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interest.” The Department of Justice has also accused it of violating Iran sanctions.

The listing will have an immediate affect on the telecommunications company, which has significant backing from the Chinese government. Huawei said last week that it spends more than $1 out of every $7 of its annual $70 billion procurement budget buying equipment from U.S. companies. The ban could also hinder Huawei’s ability to produce its latest equipment since the company relies on U.S. suppliers for components including wireless chips, antennas and handset operating software.

In a statement Monday, Huawei said it has made “substantial contributions” to Android’s global ecosystem; 2.5 billion devices around the world run on Android. The company said it will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to owners of its smartphones and tablets.

According to data released before the U.S. government listing, Huawei claimed 19 percent of the global smartphone market, the research firm IDC said, behind only Samsung’s 23.1 percent, which was on the decline. </s> Alphabet Inc's Google has suspended business with Huawei that requires the transfer of hardware and software products except those covered by open source licenses, a source close to the matter told Reuters on Sunday, in a blow to the Chinese technology company that the U.S. government has sought to blacklist around the world.

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd will immediately lose access to updates to the Android operating system, and the next version of its smartphones outside of China will also lose access to popular applications and services including the Google Play Store and Gmail app.

Details of the specific services were still being discussed internally at Google, according to the source. Huawei attorneys are also studying the impact of the U.S. Commerce Department's actions, a Huawei spokesman said on Friday. Huawei was not immediately reachable for further comment.

Representatives of the u.s. Commerce Department did not immediately have comment.

Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license that is freely open to anyone who wishes to use it.

But Google will stop providing any technical support and collaboration for Android and Google services to Huawei going forward, the source said.

On Thursday the Trump administration officially added Huawei to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the technology giant to do business with U.S. companies.

Also read: Huawei P30 Pro goes on sale in India on Amazon; check price, offers, details

Also read: Huawei P30 Pro, P30 Lite launch at 12pm today: How to livestream event, price in India, specs </s> Google has suspended Huawei’s access to updates of its Android operating system and chipmakers have reportedly cut off supplies to the Chinese telecoms company, after the US government added it to a trade blacklist last week.

Google said it was complying with an executive order issued by Donald Trump and was reviewing the “implications”, later adding that Google Play – through which Google allows users to download apps – and the security features of its antivirus software Google Play Protect would continue on existing Huawei devices. New versions of its smartphones outside China would lose access to popular applications and services including Google Play, Maps and the Gmail app.

Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source licence that is free to anyone who wishes to use it. But, according to Reuters who first reported the ban on Sunday, Google will stop providing technical support and collaboration for Android and Google services.

Q&A Why is Huawei controversial? Show Hide Huawei is a Chinese telecoms company founded in 1987. Politicians in the US have alleged that Huawei’s forthcoming 5G mobile phone networks could be hacked by Chinese spies to eavesdrop on sensitive phone calls and gain access to counter-terrorist operations. Allies who allow Huawei technology inside their 5G networks have been told they may be frozen out of US intelligence sharing. Australia, New Zealand and Japan have banned Huawei from their 5G networks. In the UK, BT has excluded Huawei telecoms infrastructure from its own 5G rollout and removed some of its equipment from the 4G network. In January 2019 Vodafone said it had decided to 'pause' the use of Huawei equipment in its core networks across Europe. The UK's defence secretary Gavin Williamson was sacked by prime minister Theresa May after a leak revealed the sensitive decision that the UK would not be totally banning Huawei from 5G projects.

Poland’s internal affairs minister, Joachim Brudziński, has called for the European Union and Nato to work on a joint position over whether to exclude Huawei from their markets, after an Huawei employee was arrested on spying charges. Much of the doubt surrounding Huawei stems from founder Ren Zhengfei’s background in China's People’s Liberation Army between 1974 and 1983, where he was an engineer. His daughter, Huawei’s senior executive Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Canada in December 2018 over allegations of Iran-sanctions violations, and she awaits extradition to the US. Ren, referring to trade issues between the US and China, says the company is 'like a small sesame seed, stuck in the middle of conflict between two great powers'. Photograph: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Huawei responded late Monday afternoon, promising to continue providing security updates and after-sale services for its smartphones and tablets. It did not clarify what the ban will mean for new Huawei phones but instead underscored its previous cooperation with Android.

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

A spokesman for China’s ministry of foreign affairs, Lu Kang, said Beijing would “support Chinese enterprises in defending their legitimate rights through legal methods”.

Observers say Chinese countermeasures could include encouraging a consumer boycott of US goods, such as Apple products. China is Apple’s third largest market by sales volume. Increased inspections or added regulatory hurdles are other options. In 2014, amid US accusations of Chinese cyber-theft, Microsoft offices in China were subjected to raids by inspectors.

Huawei has previously said it is developing its own backup operating system in case it was blocked from using US software.

In an interview in March with the German publication Die Welt, Richard Yu, the head of the company’s consumer division, said the company had a “plan B”. He said: “We have prepared our own operating system. Should it ever happen that we can no longer use these systems, we would be prepared.”

Chipmakers such as Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx, and Broadcom have told employees they will not supply chips to Huawei until further notice, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Huawei, which relies on chips from the US, has reportedly been stockpiling the chips and other components in anticipation of the ban. In an interview on Saturday, the Huawei chief executive, Ren Zhengfei, said the company would be “fine” without US chips.

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The moves come after the Trump administration officially added the telecoms manufacturer to a trade blacklist on Thursday, declaring a national economic emergency to ban the technology and services of “foreign adversaries”. The blacklist immediately led to restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the firm to do business with US companies.

In another development in the growing trade war between the two countries, Trump claimed in an interview on Fox on Sunday night that his policy of imposing tariffs on Chinese goods was already bearing fruit by encouraging companies to move manufacturing to other countries.

The latest restrictions are likely to hit Huawei’s European business, its second-biggest market, because it licenses many of its mobile phone services from Google in Europe.

Geoff Blaber, the vice-president of research at the market research firm CCS Insight, told Reuters: “Having those apps is critical for smartphone makers to stay competitive in regions like Europe.”

Google’s suspension follows a report last week calling for Huawei to be prevented from supplying 5G mobile networks in the UK, because its operations are “subject to influence by the Chinese state”.

The research, by a Conservative MP and two academics, said a decision announced by Theresa May last month, after a fraught meeting of the national security council (NSC), to allow the company to supply “non-core” equipment should be overturned because using the company’s technology presents “risks”.

In the report by the Henry Jackson Society thinktank, the authors claimed Huawei “has long been accused of espionage” – a claim repeatedly denied by the firm – and noted that “while there are no definitely proven cases”, a precautionary principle should be adopted.

The British government has been pressured by partner intelligence agencies in the US and Australia to reconsider letting the Shenzhen-based multinational participate in the UK’s 5G network.

In April, May provisionally approved the use of Huawei technology for parts of the networks after a meeting of the NSC. A leaked account of the meeting said five cabinet ministers had raised concerns about the company.

How other countries are responding to Trump's Huawei threat Read more

Robert Strayer, a deputy assistant secretary at the US state department, warned last month that the UK’s proposal to adopt Huawei technology risked affecting intelligence cooperation with the US. He claimed the Chinese firm “was not a trusted vendor” and any use of its technology for 5G was a risk.

Australia, which also shares intelligence with the UK, has already moved to ban Huawei as a supplier for its future 5G network.

Huawei has always insisted it is a privately held company, independent of the Chinese state, owned largely by its employees, and has worked supplying phone technology in the UK for 15 years without problems. </s> A Google spokesperson said the company is "complying with the order and reviewing the implications" without giving details.

The move could hobble Huawei's smartphone business outside China as the tech giant will immediately lose access to updates to Google's Android operating system. Future versions of Huawei smartphones that run on Android will also lose access to popular services including the Google Play Store and Gmail and YouTube apps.

"Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android and will not be able to get access to proprietary apps and services from Google," the source said.

The Trump administration on Thursday added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd to a trade blacklist, immediately enacting restrictions that will make it extremely difficult for the company to do business with US counterparts.

On Friday the US Commerce Department said it was considering scaling back restrictions on Huawei to "prevent the interruption of existing network operations and equipment." It was not immediately clear on Sunday whether Huawei's access to mobile software would be affected.

The extent to which Huawei will be hurt by the US government's blacklist is not yet known as its global supply chain assesses the impact. Chip experts have questioned Huawei's ability to continue to operate without US help.

Details of the specific services affected by the suspension were still being discussed internally at Google, according to the source. Huawei attorneys are also studying the impact of the blacklist, a Huawei spokesman said on Friday. Huawei was not immediately reachable for further comment.

Representatives of the US Commerce Department did not immediately comment.

Huawei will continue to have access to the version of the Android operating system available through the open source license, known as Android Open Source Project (AOSP), that is available for free to anyone who wishes to use it. There are about 2.5 billion active Android devices worldwide, according to Google.

But Google will stop providing Huawei with access, technical support and collaboration involving its proprietary apps and services going forward, the source said.

Huawei has said it has spent the last few years preparing a contingency plan by developing its own technology in case it is blocked from using Android. Some of this technology is already being used in products sold in China, the company has said.

In an interview with Reuters in March, Eric Xu, rotating chairman of Huawei, struck a defiant note in anticipation of retaliatory actions by US companies. "No matter what happens, the Android Community does not have any legal right to block any company from accessing its open-source license," he said.

Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and the Chrome browser that are available through Google's Play Store will disappear from future Huawei handsets as those services are not covered by the open source license and require a commercial agreement with Google.

But users of existing Huawei devices who have access to the Google Play Store will still be able to download app updates provided by Google. Apps such as Gmail are updated through the store, unlike operating system updates which are typically handled by phone manufacturers and telecoms carriers, which the blacklist could affect, the source said.

The impact is expected to be minimal in the Chinese market. Most Google mobile apps are banned in China, where alternatives are offered by domestic competitors such as Tencent and Baidu.

Huawei's European business, its second-biggest market, could be hit as Huawei licenses these services from Google in Europe.

"Having those apps is critical for smartphone makers to stay competitive in regions like Europe," said Geoff Blaber, vice president of research at CCS Insight.
Google pulls Android update support for Huawei phones, as well as the Google Play Store and Gmail apps, after the Chinese technology company was blacklisted by the United States Commerce Department.