Restrictions On Huawei Means Limited Access to Android

Google has begun restricting Huawei’s access to its Android operating system software and services due to the Trump administration blacklist of the number 2 smartphone maker. The latest sanctions from ongoing trade disputes means that Huawei-made phones will only be able to use the public version of Android. New devices will not have access to apps such as Gmail, Google Maps and the Google Play store.

The good news is that existing phones will still have services such as Google Play but the bad news is that those users will not be able to upgrade to newer versions of the Android operating system.

If President Trump removes Huawei from U.S. blacklist these restrictions will likely be removed just as fast as they went into place. Huawei had plans to be the top smartphone maker by the end of 2020. Google said it is complying with and “reviewing the implications” of the requirement for export licenses for technology sales to Huawei that took effect last Thursday.