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How Does Google's Restriction On Huawei's Use Of Android Affect You?

How Does Google's Restriction On Huawei's Use Of Android Affect You?
Gary Connaughton
By Gary Connaughton
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Google have announced that they will restrict the use of their Android operating system on Huawei phones, but what does that mean exactly? Well, it's less than ideal for Huawei users.

The move comes after US President Donald Trump added the Chinese manufacturer to a list of firms that American companies are unable to trade with unless they are granted a licence. Google claims the decision comes in order to ensure that it was "complying with the order and reviewing the implications".

There have been concerns raised in recent weeks that Huawei devices could be used by China for surveillance in other countries, a claim the company has denied.

But how will Google's ban affect users of Huawei products? BBC give an in-depth guide here, but we will summarise the consequences below.

What does the ban mean for Huawei users?

For those of you who already own a Huawei phone, the ban should have little immediate impact. Google will still allow users to update apps on their devices, as well as use other Google services.

Security updates may be a different matter, however. The ban means that Huawei will not be given advanced access to Google security updates, resulting in a sizeable disparity between the general release of the update and when it will be available to Huawei users.

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In theory, this could mean a situation where a serious flaw is revealed and Huawei's devices remain exposed for several days or weeks.

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What about future Huawei releases?

It is likely that the new version of Android, which is set to be released later this year, will not be available on Huawei devices.

Future devices released by the Chinese company will have a much more restricted experience. They could well be unable to use Google apps such as YouTube or Maps.

Push notifications on devices are generally run through Google Play, meaning these could also be affected. Even apps that are not run by Google could be unable to send push notifications on Huawei devices as a result.

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Casting to devices, such as televisions, would also likely be impacted.

Huawei have reportedly started to develop an alternative operating system, but it is unclear as to when this will be available, or how the move would go down with users of their devices.

 

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SEE ALSO: The Rewind Random Quiz: Identify These Irish Celebs From Their Snapchat Gender Swaps

 

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