Huawei set to find out if consumers will still buy its phones without Google services under US trade ban
- The Chinese company is scheduled to launch new budget Honor smartphone in London on May 21
- Google said to suspend some business with Huawei after US adds Chinese telecoms company to trade blacklist
Huawei Technologies is facing an immediate test of Google’s move to curtail some business with the Chinese telecoms giant in the wake of it being placed on a US blacklist, as its budget brand Honor prepares to launch a new handset model in the UK on Tuesday.
The Chinese company has not yet changed plans for the grand launch of the Honor 20 Series on May 21 in London, which comes 10 days ahead of the unveiling of the same product in the domestic market in Shanghai on May 31, said two people familiar with the matter. The two, who wished to remain anonymous as the information is private, added that the launch plan could change at any time.
The development comes after Google said it was looking to comply with the Trump administration’s move last week to add Huawei and 70 affiliates to the US Commerce Department’s Entity List, which restricts the company from buying parts and components from US companies without government approval.
“We are complying with the [US] order and reviewing the implications. For users of our services, Google Play and the security protections from Google Play Protect will continue to function on existing Huawei devices,” a Google spokeswoman said in a statement, without specifying what it means for future Huawei devices.
Google’s statement follows reports on Monday that the US internet giant had halted business that requires the transfer of hardware, software and technical services to the Shenzhen-based firm. Huawei is currently the world’s second-largest smartphone supplier behind Samsung and reliant on Google’s Android operating system.
Meanwhile, a queue of top US corporations including chip-makers Intel, Qualcomm, Xilinx and Broadcom have told their employees they will not supply Huawei until further notice, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with their actions.
The news adds to fears that a cold war is beginning between the US and China in the technology sector with profound implications for Huawei, which is currently in the eye of the storm.