Huawei is in for a crazy few months. A new rumor pegs the launch of their next P40 series of devices in the next couple weeks, but the phones still won't have Google apps. However, Google has applied for an exception to the current ban that prevents them from doing business with Huawei, which might turn things around after March.
Huawei P40, no Google apps
The Huawei P40 is expected to have an announcement in Paris on March 26th, debuting the latest tech from Huawei's mobile division. We're expecting high refresh rate displays, blazing fast Kirin 990 5G processors, and five cameras with a high-zoom periscope lens on the P40 Pro. But, of course, you won't be able to use Google Maps or grab your favorite apps from the Play Store with either new phone.
However, Google has recently applied for an exemption to the entity list that currently prevents them from doing business with Huawei. Being granted that exemption would allow them continue working directly with Huawei on Android projects, and should, theoretically, very quickly bring Android apps and the Play Store back to Huawei phones.
This should affect more than just new phones launching this year, but should also fix the few phones that have been announced in the meantime that've had to make do without Play Services.
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There's no timeline on when that decision will be made, but Microsoft was given an exemption at the end of last year. Microsoft obviously doesn't work quite as closely with Huawei as Google does, so that might be something that the US Government takes into consideration, but this is something that hurts Google just as much as Huawei.
Huawei is bigger in China than anywhere else, but they still have a solid presence in Europe and other countries. Not having Google Play in those countries, though, is almost a death sentence, even with Huawei's homegrown app store. The ban will certainly do some damage to Huawei's bottom line and reputation, but it's definitely not a good thing for Google to lose Android's second biggest manufacturer, either.
