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There’s no mistaking the beauty that comes with Huawei smartphones, as these are some of the most well-designed devices that you can find today. But thanks to the current trade wars between the company and the US, those beautiful smartphones are likely to become nothing more than over-priced paperweights sooner than you would expect.
Last year, Huawei was granted temporary licenses so that it could continue supporting its customers, ranging from smartphones to networking equipment. However, those licenses have since expired, and have not been renewed, leaving those using Huawei equipment, high and dry. Due to the current situation, that means that if you went out and picked up the Huawei P30 Pro, which is one of the last devices with Google’s version of Android, then you will not be seeing any updates coming. Android 11 is right around the corner, but that phone which is about a year and a half old, won’t see any updates.
Not getting upgraded to Android 11 is not the biggest problem with the expired licenses. It’s about the security updates that are also promised and released on a semi-regular basis by Google. Huawei will not be able to implement these with the P30 Pro, rendering those device owners open to possible security flaws which can wreak havoc over your personal information.
Why can’t I just upgrade to the P40?
The first thought you may have, despite dropping the cash on the P30 Pro, is why wouldn’t just be able to upgrade to the newer P40 Pro, which launches just a couple of months ago? Well, the truth is that you could, however, you would be doing so without the ability to use the Google Play Store.
With the P40 Pro, Huawei made the move to develop the software from the ground-up, including replacing all of the various Google services that you rely on daily. There are some workarounds, but there’s no guarantee that those will hold up over time. Leaving you with more money spent and another potential paper-weight.
What else does this mean?
Huawei has yet to stop manufacturing smartphones due to the fact that the new built-in app store is being pushed heavily and is gaining some traction in various parts of the globe. In China, the P40 is thriving, but there may be more trouble on the horizon after the Huawei Mate 40 launches sometime later this year.
The telecom giant is similar to Samsung in that it has its “hands” in many different aspects of the technology world, and smartphones are just one of them. The company also manufactures its own processors, and the Kirin 9000 is likely to be Huawei’s last processor featured in one of its own smartphones.
Due to the trade wars, Huawei’s CEO, Richard Yu, confirmed that after September 15th, the company will no longer have the resources to make the Kirin 9000 or future chipsets. This is due to the fact that US suppliers will no longer be able to sell components to Huawei without explicit approval from the Federal Government.
It’s likely that Huawei could hope that other component manufacturer’s in other parts of the world could pick up the slack, but it’s unlikely after Yu’s statement. Maybe Huawei could turn to Qualcomm or MediaTek, but there’s no real way to discern what will happen following the September 15th end-point.
Where should you turn for your smartphone needs
If you don’t want to jump through hoops just to get Google Play Services on your phone, but still want a great Android experience, there are quite a few options available. It’s that time of the year where the 2020 Holiday Lineup is being unveiled, so here are a few of our favorite replacement options.
Google Pixel 4a
The Pixel 4a is the obvious choice here, as it comes in at just a fraction of the cost of these flagship behemoths that are released regularly. The successor to the Pixel 4a has the same primary sensor as the Pixel 4, including the ability to take pictures via Night Mode. Plus, you’ll get all of the stock Android greatness you expect, without worrying about trade wars or anything else getting in your way.
OnePlus Nord
Although the OnePlus Nord is not available here in the US officially, you can go through the likes of GearBest to have one imported from overseas. The Nord represents a shift in focus for the company, looking back to its budget roots, while the standard OnePlus lineup continues to battle it out with the flagships. However, when it comes to price-to-performance, you would be hard-pressed to find a better option on the market, anywhere.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 / Note 20 Ultra
The Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra are for those who want to stick with the premium design and high-end specs offered by the Huawei P40 lineup of smartphones. You’ll get a sleek design, great camera, and 5G connectivity, once it becomes available in your area. Plus, there’s the added benefit of the S Pen, along with some extra features such wireless reverse charging. This is the way to go for the flagship replacement.
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