Huawei Laptops Quietly Disappear From Australian Microsoft Store

Huawei Laptops Quietly Disappear From Australian Microsoft Store

The Huawei drama continues as laptops made by the Chinese company silently disappeared from Microsoft’s online stores both globally and in Australia.

[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/05/huawei-responds-to-googles-ban/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Huawei-410×231.jpg” title=”Huawei Responds To Google’s Ban [Updated]” excerpt=”Yesterday it was reported that Google, along with a slew of chipmakers, would be suspending its business operations with Huawei. In real world terms, it would mean that Huawei devices would no longer have access to Google-owned apps, the Google Play store or get Android OS and security updates – other than what is available through an open source license. Huawei has now responded to the decision.”]

The removal of the laptops is in compliance with U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order that prevents U.S. companies from purchasing and supplying equipment to foreign companies that are deemed a national security risk.

Several days before the order was enacted the U.S. Department of Commerce had named Huawei as one of these companies.

Despite Huawei being given a ninety-day exemption from the ban to maintain software and security updates for current owners of Huawei phones, according to The Verge this doesn’t include Windows licenses for laptops.

As the supplier of Windows to Huawei laptop devices, Microsoft has remained quiet on the future of its relationship with the company and whether it will prevent it from purchasing the licenses. This decision has not only impacted on Microsoft’s U.S. stores, but also those here in Australia.

Huawei laptops such as the 13-inch Matebook and Matebook X Pro have been removed, leaving behind dead links:

This is significant, as the Matebook X Pro was considered to be one of the best laptops of 2018. The device didn’t hit Australia until six months after its global release and was exclusive to the Microsoft store.

The laptop proved so popular here that it sold out in pre-order.

While Huawei publicly confirmed that it’s working on its own proprietary operating systems earlier this year, being banned from Windows is bound to have a significant impact on the future of its laptop business.

Similarly, Intel confirmed that it will comply with Trump’s executive order, preventing Intel from supplying Huawei with the chips that it uses for its Matebook and Matebook X Pro laptops.

Although Huawei already uses its own chipset for its phones, the Kirin, it is yet to do the same for its laptops.

At the time of writing Microsoft was yet to make any kind of global comment regarding the laptop removal. Gizmodo Australia has also reached out to Microsoft locally and is yet to receive a response.

[The Verge]


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