How US government fears about Chinese tech affect you

In a Senate hearing, US intelligence chiefs expressed their doubts about allowing American citizens to buy smartphones made by Chinese companies, including Huawei and ZTE. Let’s break down what this means and how it will affect you.

Officials are worried about alleged ties between companies like Huawei and ZTE and the Chinese government. FBI head Christopher Wray said Chinese companies with access to the US telecom network may “maliciously modify or steal information” and “conduct undetected espionage.”

Huawei, the world’s third largest smartphone maker after Apple and Samsung, is currently without a US carrier as a partner: Both AT&T and Verizon scrapped plans last month to sell its phones, reportedly due to pressure from federal regulators. You can still purchase an unlocked Huawei device from retailers like Best Buy and Amazon -- but 90% of all smartphone sales in the US are through carriers.

For American consumers, ZTE is a more familiar name. It’s the fourth biggest smartphone maker in the US, with handsets available on AT&T and Sprint. But it’s not escaping scrutiny: Last week, two senators introduced a bill that would ban government officials from using ZTE, as well as Huawei phones.

And all of this comes as OnePlus explores potential carrier partners to bring more of its smartphones to the US. This could complicate that.