Huawei Mate 30 will not feature Google apps but there will be a ‘work-around’

Executive says it will be 'quite easy' to access Gmail, Maps, YouTube and Google Play

Anthony Cuthbertson
Monday 16 September 2019 17:58 BST
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The Huawei Mate 30 will ship without any Google apps
The Huawei Mate 30 will ship without any Google apps

The Huawei Mate 30 smartphone will be without Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube and other popular apps when it launches later this week but the Chinese firm’s chief executive claims there will still be a way to get them.

Google confirmed last month that the world’s second largest smartphone maker will launch its next flagship phone without its suite of apps, as a result of a US trading ban that prevents American companies from doing business with Huawei.

The lack of Google apps also means the Mate 30 will ship without the Google Play app store. This is where Android users typically download popular third-party apps like Spotify, Uber and WhatsApp.

Huawei executive Richard Yu said there would be a workaround that would make it “quite easy” for owners of the phone to access all the apps accessible to Android devices.

Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Mr Yu added that there would be “a lot of possibilities” due to the open-source nature of the Android mobile operating system.

Most Google services are already blocked in China due to strict internet censorship, meaning Huawei could use an English-language version of a rival app store developed in Huawei’s home country.

One example is Chinese software developer Meizu, whose app store offers users the ability to download Google apps and services.

Whichever option they choose for an in-built app store, it is almost certain it will not come from a US firm. More than 130 applications have been made to the US Commerce Department by companies hoping to sell goods and services to Huawei, but none have yet been granted.

The ban on trading with the Chinese firm comes after concerns were raised by US government agencies that its devices could be used as spy tools by the Chinese state. Huawei has consistently denied these claims, and an escalating trade war between the US and China has not helped matters.

Huawei has relied heavily in the past on US companies, particularly for software used in devices sold in US and European markets.

Mr Yu previously said it was Huawei’s preference to continue working with US firms like Google in order to build its products.

The Mate 30 will be launched on 19 September in Munich, with rumours suggesting it will feature more camera lenses and support 5G connectivity.

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