Can Huawei Survive Without Google? Exploring Huawei's Strategy for Operating Without Google Services

Can Huawei Survive Without Google? Exploring Huawei's Strategy for Operating Without Google Services

Huawei, one of the world's leading technology companies, has been facing a significant challenge since the US government's ban on it in 2019. The ban resulted in Huawei losing its access to critical Google services, including Google Play Store, Gmail, and Google Maps. These services are essential for any Android smartphone to operate efficiently. Losing access to these services has severely impacted Huawei's smartphone sales globally. However, Huawei's response to the ban has been remarkable. The company has been working on a strategy to operate without Google services, and it seems to be working. In this blog post, we will explore how Huawei has been surviving without Google services and whether the company can continue to do so in the long run.

Huawei's Situation After Losing Google Services

The US government's decision to ban Huawei from using Google services was a significant blow to the Chinese tech giant. Huawei's access to Google services was crucial for its smartphone business, which accounted for over half of its revenue. Google services are widely used by smartphone users worldwide, and losing access to them meant that Huawei's phones could no longer compete with other Android phones that had access to Google services.

Huawei had to find a way to provide a seamless experience to its users without access to Google services. The company's solution was to develop its own operating system and app store, which could replace Google services on Huawei phones.

Huawei's Solution: HarmonyOS and AppGallery

Huawei's solution to the ban was HarmonyOS, its own operating system, and AppGallery, its own app store. HarmonyOS was initially designed to be used on smart home devices, wearables, and other IoT devices. However, after the US ban, Huawei accelerated the development of HarmonyOS to replace Android on its smartphones.

HarmonyOS is an open-source operating system that offers a smooth and responsive user experience. It has several features that are similar to Android, including a customizable home screen, notification centre, and app drawer. The operating system also supports Android apps, which can be downloaded from Huawei's app store, AppGallery.

AppGallery is Huawei's alternative to the Google Play Store. It is the third-largest app store in the world, with over 500 million active users in more than 170 countries. AppGallery offers users access to a wide range of apps, including popular social media apps like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.

Huawei has been working hard to attract developers to its platform. It has launched several initiatives to encourage developers to create apps for AppGallery, including a $1 billion developer fund and a revenue-sharing program that offers developers a higher percentage of revenue than the Google Play Store.

The Future of Huawei Without Google

Huawei's decision to develop its own operating system and the app store has been successful in the short term. The company's smartphone sales have not been significantly affected, and it has continued to release new devices without Google services. However, it is unclear whether Huawei can continue to operate without Google services in the long run.

Huawei's success depends on the availability of popular apps on its app store. The company has been working hard to attract developers to its platform, but it still lacks some essential apps. For instance, Huawei phones cannot access popular apps like WhatsApp and YouTube, which are not available on AppGallery. This could be a significant hurdle for Huawei in the long run, as users may switch to other Android phones that offer access to these apps.

Another challenge that Huawei faces is the lack of Google services, which are widely used by smartphone users worldwide. Huawei phones cannot access Google services like Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Assistant, which are essential for many users. Huawei has developed its own alternatives to these services, but they are not sufficient.

Huawei's challenge of surviving without Google began in May 2019 when the U.S. Commerce Department added the company to its Entity List, citing national security concerns. As a result, Huawei was barred from conducting business with American companies, including Google. This meant that Huawei was no longer able to use Google's Android operating system or access the Google Play Store, which caused a significant blow to the company's smartphone business.

To survive without Google, Huawei had to quickly find an alternative. The company's answer came in the form of HarmonyOS, Huawei's own operating system. Huawei initially created HarmonyOS for use in IoT devices, but it soon became clear that it could be used for smartphones as well. HarmonyOS has been in development since 2016, and the first version of the operating system was released in August 2019.

Huawei's strategy with HarmonyOS is to make it an open-source operating system that can be used on a variety of devices. This would allow other smartphone manufacturers to use HarmonyOS on their devices, which would help to build a strong ecosystem for the operating system. Huawei has also been working to create its own app store to replace the Google Play Store. The company's app store, called AppGallery, has been rapidly expanding, and it now has over 530 million monthly active users.

In addition to creating its own operating system and app store, Huawei has been investing heavily in its own hardware. The company has developed its own chipsets, including the Kirin series, which is used in its smartphones. Huawei has also been investing in its own cameras, which are among the best in the industry.

Despite these efforts, Huawei's smartphone sales have taken a hit since being added to the Entity List. In 2020, Huawei's smartphone shipments fell by 42% compared to the previous year, and the company's market share fell from 18% to 9%. However, Huawei has been making progress in the Chinese market, where it remains a strong player. In the first quarter of 2021, Huawei was the third-largest smartphone vendor in China, with a 16% market share.

Huawei's survival without Google will also depend on how the company is able to navigate the geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China. The U.S. government has continued to impose restrictions on Huawei, and there is no sign that these restrictions will be lifted anytime soon. This has led to Huawei being increasingly focused on the Chinese market, where it is less dependent on Western technology.

In conclusion, Huawei has been able to survive without Google by developing its own operating system, app store, and hardware. The company's focus on the Chinese market has also helped it weather the storm caused by U.S. sanctions. However, Huawei's future remains uncertain, and much will depend on how the company is able to navigate the geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China.