Google withdraws Huawei's Android licence following US government Executive Order

Existing Huawei smartphone users will still get app and security updates, says Google

Google has withdrawn Huawei's Android operating system licence, while Intel, Qualcomm and Xilinx have reportedly stopped supplying the company with components, too.

Google withdrew Huawei's Android licence on Sunday after a US government Executive Order last week intended to secure "the information and communications technology and services supply chain". It applied trade sanctions against around 70 companies on the US Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List - with Huawei freshly added to the list.

That list bars the named companies from procuring US products or technology without a licence from the US government.

Speaking to Reuters, Google said it was "complying with the order and reviewing the implications". It added that all existing Huawei smartphone users (using Android) will still be able to update their apps and apply security fixes.

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

But, now Huawei won't be able to access updates to Google's Android OS, and will have to rely on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) instead.

In addition, future Huawei smartphones running on Android will lose access to Google's popular apps and services, including the Google Play Store and YouTube and Gmail apps.

Assuming that Huawei rolls out its own update system, the company will be able to push Android security updates once they're released in AOSP.

In response, Huawei released the following statement, claiming that it had "made substantial contributions to the development and growth of Android around the world".

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

"Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products covering those have been sold or still in stock globally.

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

Huawei has been under intense scrutiny in the US and many other western countries over fears that China's government could use its equipment to spy on foreign networks. The US has repeatedly asked its allies not to use Huawei products in their upcoming 5G networks.

But, Huawei denies all such claims, maintaining that its products are completely safe and that it works independently from the Chinese government.

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Despite those assertions, some countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have barred operators entirely from using Huawei equipment in upcoming 5G networks.

Huawei criticised the Trump administration's actions, warning that it would only hurt the interests of US consumers and companies in the long run. The company added that it had been working on a contingency plan in recent years to develop its own technology, just in case it were hit by US sanctions.

"We have already been preparing for this," Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei said on Saturday in his first comments since the US decision to put Huawei on the "Entity List".

According to Huawei, it is already using some of its own new technology in selected products sold in China.

Despite that, most analysts believe that Google's latest decision could have big implications for Huawei's consumer business, especially in Europe, which is the second-biggest market outside China for the company.

The move could also harm Huawei's ambition to surpass Samsung to become the world's number one smartphone brand in 2020.

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