With no Google Play Store, here’s how the Huawei Mate Xs phone plans to attract buyers outside China
- Huawei’s devices can not include pre-installed Google apps or run any Google services limiting its appeal outside China
- The phone maker is investing a billion dollars in creating its own app ecosystem
Huawei unveiled the Huawei Mate Xs over the weekend, alongside the new MatePad Pro tablet. As expected, there was no mention of Google. With each new Huawei device that launches without the Google Play Store, it appears increasingly unlikely that the platform schism caused by the US trade blacklist will be mended any time soon.
With the upcoming launch of the Huawei P40 next month, should consumers even be considering smartphones from Huawei? And what is the Chinese device maker doing to create its own mobile ecosystem?
How is Huawei able to do that? Well, Android was created as an open-source project, and remains that way today. Officially known as Android Open Source Project, or AOSP, the operating system provides the core capabilities found in all Android device. Indeed, security updates for Android are released under the auspices of AOSP.
That means Huawei can continue to leverage its considerable know-how in creating top-notch Android smartphones. The only difference is that it cannot pre-install apps from Google or offer Google services.
