Google Sever Ties with Huawei as US Government Crackdown on Chinese Technology Firms Escalates with No End in Sight

Recently, the US government began a massive crackdown on some Chinese Technology firms accused of undermining its national security and foreign policy interests. Backed by an executive order, the government enacted a law that prohibits US firms from buying “risky” foreign-made telecommunications equipment. While there’s been a rapid increase in scrutiny of some top Chinese tech companies, Huawei seemed to be the scapegoat.

The crackdown continues to gain daily momentum as well as spark diplomatic rows between the two countries. Federal legislators are mounting pressures on US-based firms to end ties with Huawei to bolster national security and prevent threats.

Although the order doesn’t specifically brandish any firm as risky, it strongly kicks against the interests of the Chinese-owned brand.

Google breakup: A huge blow to Huawei and its plethora of Google-dependent devices

In a move that constitutes a major setback for the Chinese-owned tech giant, Google limits Huawei’s access to its OS. The tech-giant has suspended all dealings that involve offering technical assistance and the sale of hardware and software components. The move was in compliance with the US’s government directive to restrict business dealings with some major Chinese tech companies.

From every indication, Google’s decision to restrict Huawei’s access will hit the Chinese firm where it hurts the most. The effects of this move may be far-reaching and not as limited as Huawei’s CEO claims. The firm relies heavily on US component makers for all its devices including the OS for its popular Android smartphone series.

This means they may struggle to maintain recent impressive sales record and could see their much-touted 5G Network build delayed for a very long time.

What’s at Stake for the users?

As a matter of fact, missing out on Google’s proprietary apps and services could cripple the functionality of Huawei’s devices. This means that popular Google apps like the Gmail and PlayStore will not be available on any upcoming Huawei devices.

However, current users of Huawei smartphones will continue to access Google’s scheduled app and security updates on their devices. They will also have access to the public Android OS available through the Android Open Source Project.