Report Claims Google Could Be Pulling Huawei’s Android Licence

Report Claims Google Could Be Pulling Huawei’s Android Licence

Google has halted some of its business operations with Huawei, Reuters reported Sunday, dealing a devastating blow to the Chinese telecommunications company.

Editor’s Note: We are reaching out to Google and Huawei locally to ascertain how this will impact Australian Huawei device users – Tegan.

Huawei will no longer have access to Android updates and Google technical support beyond what is available through its open source licence, according to the news service, which cited a source with knowledge of the matter.

The move will also reportedly affect access to apps and services like Gmail on future Huawei phones outside of China, though specifics around the scope of services ban is still being discussed internally at Google, Reuters said.

Spokespeople for neither Google nor Huawei immediately returned a request for comment about the report.

Commerce Department on Wednesday announced that Huawei was added to its list of companies that present potential security threats, which means it will no longer have access to parts produced in the U.S. without prior government approval.

Separately, President Donald Trump issued an executive order this week that banned telecommunications firms from using foreign hardware from companies that pose security risks.

Huawei has said publicly that it has a “solid track record in cybersecurity” and has denied claims that it poses a security threat.

It has further claimed that that retaliation from the U.S. government over apparent national security risks is in actuality an attempt to suppress Huawei’s 5G networks in its international markets.

In a statement about the executive order, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that Trump “has made it clear that this Administration will do what it takes to keep America safe and prosperous, and to protect America from foreign adversaries who are actively and increasingly creating and exploiting vulnerabilities in information and communications technology infrastructure and services in the United States.”

[Reuters]


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