The Huawei Mate 30 Pro has officially launched, and it’s a powerhouse. With high end specs, a quad camera setup, and a huge battery, it really is a competent and desirable flagship. However it comes with one major flaw: It won’t ship with Google Play Services.
Without Google Play Services, you don’t get Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, and most importantly, the Google Play Store. Of course you can access the main services through the browser, but the apps themselves aren’t available. And the wealth of apps from the Play Store won’t be either.
This isn’t the end of the world. You can still sideload apps from safe sources like APK Mirror, and there are Play Store alternatives out there. Huawei has one for the Chinese market, and there are others for Western markets. These options will allow you to use your favorite apps, and while this isn’t as easy or streamlined as the Play Store, these options have their benefits.
The Mate 30 Pro isn’t the first Android smartphone to launch without Google Play Services, and it won’t be the last. Unless Huawei’s situation in the US changes, every future device from the company will ship without them. And if Huawei sees success, it’s not unlikely that we’ll see other companies try it as well. Gaining independence from Google may be a benefit to some brands.
So, would you buy a smartphone without the Play Store? Are you willing to get around this limitation, or is it a dealbreaker? Let us know in the poll below!
[polldaddy poll=10414580]