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Google stops Huawei's access to Android updates

Google stops Huawei's access to Android updates

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Google has barred Huawei's access to updates of the Android operating system to comply with U.S President Donald Trump's recent executive order regarding trade relations with China.

After this suspension, Huawei's new smartphones outside China will likely lose access to popular apps and services, namely the Google Play store, the Gmail app, YouTube, and the Google Maps app. Huawei will also no longer get Google's security updates and technical support.

Existing Huawei smartphones users will still be able to update apps. Security features of Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices as well.

As for the Android operating system, Huawei will still be able to use an open source license version that is free to use by anyone. However, a report from Reuters says that Google will stop providing technical support and collaboration for Android and Google services.

Google's decision came after the Trump administration officially added the Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer to a trade blacklist last week, which bans the company from acquiring technology from US firms without government approval.

According to the Financial Times, a spokesperson from Huawei said the company was "looking into the situation".

Chief executive Ren Zhengfei said in an interview with Japanese media that the company "would push ahead with developing its own parts", according to a news report from the BBC.

Huawei was said to be developing its own operating system as company products are currently reliant on using Microsoft Windows. The company's chief executive of consumer business Richard Yu said that though Huawei preferred to work with Google and Microsoft, it has a plan B and would "be prepared" in the event of any blacklisting.

It's believed that the latest restrictions imposed by the US government are likely to hit Huawei’s European business - the second-biggest market of the company - since it licenses many of its mobile phone services from Google on the continent.

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