Huawei apologizes for lock screen ads, removes them from its servers [Update]

Update 06/14/2019: Huawei responded to the lock screen ads controversy with a statement, apologizing for the inconvenience. Further, the company said it would remove the images from its servers, as “they should not be appearing on lock screen interfaces.”

Huawei statement on those lockscreen ads pic.twitter.com/lvmbys50TS

— Alex Dobie (@alexdobie) June 14, 2019

For users who already have the advertisement images downloaded to their devices, the company also provided instructions on how to remove them. When one of the offending lock screen wallpapers appears, users can slide up from the bottom edge of the screen to reveal the toolbar for managing the wallpapers. Then, tap ‘Delete’ and ‘Remove’ to take the image off your device.

For a company as beleaguered as Huawei, you’d think it would take extra precautions before doing anything that might upset users. However, it appears Huawei didn’t, and now several owners of the Chinese company’s phones report ads have appeared on their lock screens.

Primarily, it appears to be an ad for the hotel booking service Booking.com. The advertisements only appear on the lock screen, and only on the preinstalled landscape background wallpapers.

The ad itself is just Booking’s logo placed prominently in the photo.

@Huawei_Europe Why is there advertisement on my lock screen?! Have I signed up to this in some small print T&C somewhere? pic.twitter.com/w6zS9ysuwk

— RAYZ (@justicefingers) June 12, 2019

Based on reports, the issue seems to affect the P30 Pro, P20 Pro, P20, P20 Lite and Honor 10, although that latter device isn’t available in Canada.

For that matter, the P30 Pro and P20 Pro models we checked at MobileSyrup also had no ads. However, according to Android Police, users in the U.K., Netherlands, Ireland, South Africa, Norway and Germany have all received advertisements.

Wtf. https://t.co/Fv4RzUmM1D ads on my lock screen. Anyone else with a Huawei getting this? pic.twitter.com/ILI6vs6wVD

— Ed Spencer (@efjspencer) June 13, 2019

Thankfully, the fix is an easy one: don’t use the built-in magazine-style background images.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t change the fact that users shouldn’t have to put up with advertisements on the lock screen of their smartphone, especially if it’s not by their choice. Amazon, for example, has offered discounted devices with advertisements in the past, but it was clear what you were getting, and you were saving money if you did it.

Source: Android Police