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The Verge has a story about the latest in the US government's war against Huawei:
Following the US crackdown on Chinese technology companies, Google has cut off Huawei’s Android license, dealing a huge blow to the besieged phonemaker. Reuters first reported the news, and The Verge subsequently confirmed Google’s suspension of business with Huawei with a source familiar with the matter.
Reached for comment, a Google spokesperson said only “We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications.” The order, in this case, appears to be the US Commerce Department’s recent decision to place Huawei on the “Entity List,” which as Reuters reports is a list of companies that are unable to buy technology from US companies without government approval.
Speaking to Reuters, a Google spokesperson confirmed that “Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices.” So while existing Huawei phones around the world won’t be immediately impacted by the decision, the future of updates for those phones as well as any new phones Huawei would produce remains in question.
Huawei is now restricted to using the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), cutting the company off from critical Google apps and services that consumers outside of China expect on Android devices. That also means Huawei will only be able to push security updates for Android once they’re made available in AOSP, assuming the company uses its own update system. It’s not clear yet how this will affect the full range of Android integrations that Huawei depends on, but we will update this story when we receive additional clarification about the impacts of Google’s decision.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @05:20PM (14 children)
They can fork off any of those and continue as unbadged Android device. But they can't advertise themselves as Android with the cute little logo. They might be able to adverise AOSP or LineageOS, but it will severely impact their bottom line.
On the other hand, they could preinstall F-Droid, which has plenty of apps to keep the casual user occupied, is downright socialist in nature, and would help erode Google's dominion on app store purchases, giving legitimacy to an alternative that would help reduce their ad revenues related to 'free' android apps. By doing so they could in the long term harm Google far more than Google is harming them short term with this decision, and if they help support non-Huawei phones running Android without Google's extensions, they could even help erode US marketshare of licensed Android devices, leaving the potential open to upset the market in new and unexpected ways.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @05:44PM (1 child)
Punitive power...
Ain't it a bitch?
I, too, hope this turns into a real incentive to develop alternatives, but it's merely a dream. Resistance is nil
(Score: 2) by etherscythe on Tuesday May 21 2019, @01:15AM
OR - long shot here, but a few interesting points: Sailfish OS is outside of US control, and the company I'm sure would love to capture a huge audience. Finland and China do not, on the surface, make for natural allies. But it's got Android compatibility and a good amount of base polish. F-Droid+Sailfish on cheap Chinese hardware could sell like crazy in developing or highly populous countries.
"Fake News: anything reported outside of my own personally chosen echo chamber"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @05:46PM (1 child)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 21 2019, @10:01AM
> …does not have… banking
Ain't that a good thing?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Monday May 20 2019, @05:52PM (5 children)
Supposing they forked, and preinstall F-droid. Wouldn't that make Huawei's device more attractive to many of us, who resent all the online tracking? Up to the point that we discover that Huawei tracks us as much as Google does, at least. Even then - big deal, someone halfway around the world is tracking me. How likely are they to be selling my data to Walmart, Target, and Amazon?
What's that? You think they might be giving my data to the Chinese government? And, the Chinese government doesn't like my opinions, attitudes, politics, or religion? Ehhhh - I can live with all of that. They said WHAT? They don't like round eyed bastards like me? Now THOSE are fighting words!! LOL, just kidding. Who cares if they like the way I look.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @07:25PM (3 children)
Only if sharing all of your data with the Chinese government is what you consider "attractive". All your data, and your text messages, and your phone calls, and your location, and your emails, and your web history, and everything else ...
Yes, all your data. It's not about your opinions - most humans don't like your opinions no matter what country they're from. But if Huawei has access to the physical device - and they do - then any and all information is their's. Account numbers, passwords, security questions, your shoe size, your preference of lime jello over cherry, everything.
But what's the worst they could do, right? I mean, besides uploading some illegal content to your device. Of all the phone makers to trust Huawei is the most trustworthy, right?
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Dr Spin on Monday May 20 2019, @08:30PM
Sharing with the Chinese government is a less serious risk than sharing with Google, because Google's income depends on selling your privacy. The Chinese government's income is relatively independent of YOUR privacy.
I for one, would love Huawei to fork Android.
Even better, they could publish the APIs so open source fanatics could write them an OS for free AND SUPPORT IT. (I hope to hell it does not include systemd).
Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @09:28PM (1 child)
Which is comparable (ie not much worse or better) to sharing all of my data with the US government via Google...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 21 2019, @06:21AM
Actually unless you are a citizen or ex-citizen of China[1] or living in China you have more to fear from the US government than the Chinese government.
More so if you are living in the USA.
[1] The Chinese Gov has attacked citizens and ex-citizens living outside China. The USA has attacked non-citizens who have never stepped foot in the USA nor engaged in military action against the USA.
(Score: 2) by corey on Tuesday May 21 2019, @02:13AM
They could ship Yalp Store instead. That's what I use to access Google Store apps without any logins to Gapps on my phone.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Monday May 20 2019, @08:48PM (1 child)
>with the cute little logo
THAT'S CULTURAL APPROPRIATION, MEATBAGS
BLM - BATTERY LEVELS MATTER
Account abandoned.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @09:49PM
We are gods to you robot, now get back to the factory floor before we replace your memory unit.
(Score: 2) by NateMich on Tuesday May 21 2019, @12:41AM
Look, I like F-Droid as well and have it installed on my phone for a couple of apps that I use. But you are seriously exaggerating. Your average consumer is not going to be at all happy with running F-Droid when in fact they want all those stupid apps that are only available on the play store.
(Score: 2) by corey on Tuesday May 21 2019, @02:25AM
I was thinking this too. This will harm Google no doubt. They want Android on as many phones as possible for revenue.
I think it will hurt Huawei in the short term but they'll adapt to the rules and be competitive in the long term.
I'm interested in the Intel halt on supply effect on their laptops which are receiving rave reviews this year (Matebook X Pro, Matebook 13, 14). Not like they can switch to AMD either.
Ah the fun of doing business with the US.