Google suspends Huawei’s Android license, restricted to using AOSP

In another dramatic twist, Google has suspended business with Huawei that involves “the transfer of hardware and software products.”

Reuters reports that Google made the decision following the United States President Trump’s executive order that banned any foreign company from supplying U.S. companies if they pose a national security threat.

“Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android and will not be able to get access to proprietary apps and services from Google,” stated a person familiar with the matter.

Huawei will only be able to gain access to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which also means it will have to wait for Google to push through security updates in AOSP before sending them to its customers.

Apps that usually appear on handsets through the Play Store or pre-installed — such as Gmail, YouTube and the Chrome — will disappear from future Huawei handsets. Existing Huawei devices will still be able to download app updates via Google.

The company has become one of the top smartphone manufacturers in the world and this move will certainly have significant impact on the company. Huawei has publicly stated it has “long been ready” for any ban if one were to come, noting it has created its own operating system.

Update 20/05/2019 5:46pm ET: The U.S. Commerce Department has granted Huawei a temporary license allowing it to maintain its current networks and allowing it to provide software updates to existing Android devices, according to Reuters. The temporary license lasts until August 19th.

Update 05/20/2019 9:23am ET: In a statement to MobileSyrup, Huawei Canada said the following regarding Huawei devices in Canada still receiving updates:

“Huawei will continue to provide security updates and after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally.”