Google pushes for continued cooperation with Huawei

London-headquartered publication Financial Times reports that Google is making a case to the U.S. government for the company to continue its business dealings with Huawei.

This development comes on the day word got out that Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp won’t come pre-installed on Huawei units that are still in the factory, although users can still download the said apps on their own.

According to FT‘s sources who are familiar with Google’s lobbying efforts, the American technology firm has warned that cutting off Huawei from Android is tantamount to risking the United States’ national security.

Google has purportedly argued that a ban, which will prevent it from sending updates to Huawei devices, could eventually lead to the Chinese tech giant using its own operating system. Earlier reports say Hongmeng (or Ark OS?), Huawei’s forked version of Android, should be ready to launch end-2019 or early next year.

A modified version of the software, Google has claimed, will have more bugs and be “more at risk of being hacked, not least by China.” The products won’t have Play Protect and Play Services, two tools that could prevent vulnerabilities from surfacing.

Security arguments aside, there’s no doubt that Google stands to lose a lot of money if the temporary license it got from the Trump administration will not be renewed come August 19. That alone could be reason enough to press for a lifting of the trade ban on Huawei.

Via The Verge

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Alora Uy Guerrero

Editor-in-chief: Alora Uy Guerrero has 22 years of experience as an editor for print and digital publications such as Yahoo. She took time off journalism to manage OPPO’s digital-marketing campaigns. When not busy with her babies, she’s working on Revü, a passion project — or probably traveling or obsessing over her favorite bands, movies, TV shows, and basketball teams.