Huawei P40 Launch Confirmed, But No Google Services

Huawei CEO Richard Yu confirmed the launch date for the upcoming Huawei P40 and P40 Pro handsets. The company is set to launch the devices at an event in Paris, March 2020, Frandroid reported.

Yu confirmed that the phone will run the Android 10-based EMUI 10 coupled with Huawei Mobile Services, with no Google Services available. Since Huawei was blacklisted by the US government from using US tech, Huawei has not been able to license Google’s software. Android 10 is open source, meaning Huawei is able to access it freely. Google Mobile Services, which is needed to access the Google Play Store, and apps like Maps, Uber and even Google Podcasts, requires a license, which Huawei cannot get.

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Richard Yu promised a never before seen design as well as advancements in camera quality, CPU performance and battery life. For detailed specs, little is known as of now.

Harmony OS, Huawei’s in-house OS, is not yet available for phones yet, and Huawei recently reaffirmed its commitment to using Android to power its smartphones. Instead Huawei plans to use Harmony in more smart devices like smart TVs, watches, speakers and so on.

Amid Huawei’s tumultuous relationship with the US government, it is unclear how well the devices will sell outside of China. A smartphone without Google services might scare many customers off, particularly in Western markets.
Nevertheless, market institutions have predicted that Huawei’s mobile phones will overtake Apple in the fourth quarter of 2019 to become the world’s second largest mobile phone manufacturer.