{"id":318604,"date":"2019-05-23T08:36:08","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T06:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=318604"},"modified":"2019-05-23T09:45:46","modified_gmt":"2019-05-23T07:45:46","slug":"huawei-could-start-using-its-own-operating-system-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/mobile\/318604\/huawei-could-start-using-its-own-operating-system-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Huawei could start using its own operating system this year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Embattled smartphone maker Huawei says it could have its own operating system for smartphones and laptops up and running within the next few months.<\/p>\n

Yu Chengdong, the CEO of Huawei’s Consumer Business Group, told CNBC<\/a> that a version of the new system for China, which would be compatible with all Android apps, could be ready by September (Autumn), with an international version of the operating system ready for international markets by the first or second quarter of 2020.<\/p>\n

The news came after Google said earlier this week that it would stop providing Huawei with its license to use Android, the operating system that powers all smartphones made by Huawei.<\/p>\n

It also came after the US issued orders last week to ban Huawei from buying parts and technologies from American suppliers amid a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Beijing branded the US sanctions as ‘economic bullying’, Bloomberg reported.<\/p>\n

As a result, companies are scrapping plans to sell Huawei handsets as the impact of a US supply ban spreads. Bloomberg reported that carriers in Japan, Taiwan and Britain stopped taking early orders for newer smartphone models from Huawei Technologies on Wednesday, or shelved plans to offer its handsets equipped for new fifth-generation wireless networks.<\/p>\n

There is a concern that Huawei won\u2019t get access to the most popular version of the Android mobile operating system developed by Alphabet Inc’s Google.<\/p>\n

If the boycotts multiply, it would be a major blow to Shenzhen-based Huawei, which is trying to overtake South Korea\u2019s Samsung Electronics Co as the world\u2019s No. 1 handset supplier this year after leapfrogging Apple Inc. Mobile phones and other devices in Huawei\u2019s consumer business account for almost half of its revenue.<\/p>\n

The Commerce Department on Monday granted a 90-day relief for certain US broadband companies and wireless customers using Huawei equipment.<\/p>\n

The temporary license<\/a> covers continued operation of existing networks and equipment as well as support to existing handsets and other limited actions, according to a notice published in the Federal Register Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis license will allow operations to continue for existing Huawei mobile phone users and rural broadband networks.<\/p>\n

Huawei on Google\u2019s Play app store<\/strong><\/p>\n

Huawei phones developed and certified by Google before May 16 will still get access to Google\u2019s Play app store and its pre-loaded apps and services. Updates from Google will continue as they are transactions between Google and end users, not Google and Huawei, Bloomberg noted.<\/p>\n

However, Google won\u2019t be allowed to work with Huawei on software bugs and other technical fixes. Instead, the Chinese firm will have to do this on its own, using the open-source version of Android.<\/p>\n

Should Google\u2019s system no longer be available, \u201cthen the alternative option will naturally come out – either from Huawei or someone else,\u201d Abraham Liu, Huawei\u2019s representative to the European Union institutions, said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Yu stressed to CNBC, that Huawei would only launch its own OS if it were permanently banned from using Google\u2019s Android or Microsoft\u2019s Windows.<\/p>\n

Plan B<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking to Chinese media this week, Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei said the company was prepared to take on the US and would not be too adversely affected by the revocation of its Android licence, MyBroadband<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n

\u201c90 days doesn\u2019t mean much to us, and we have prepared,\u201d Ren said. \u201cWhat the US will do is out of our control. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the US companies that we work with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ren said that Huawei has prepared \u201cspare tyres\u201d or \u201cPlan Bs\u201d for its core products, as it always knew it would have to take on the United States at some point.<\/p>\n

When it comes to serving customers after it no longer has access to its Android licence, Ren said the company has a Plan B for all of its core services.<\/p>\n

\u201cBusiness continuity is all about our Plan B, or our \u201cspare tyre\u201d plan. Spare tyres ensure that when cars break down, they can continue running after tyres are replaced,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have ensured our business continuity step by step. In fact, many parts we use in our products have been put into production. Despite this, we are open to parts from outside the company.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the beginning of 2019, Ren predicted that the US would take action against Huawei regardless of the result of their ongoing lawsuit at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe thought we would have two years to make preparations. But when Meng Wanzhou was arrested, it sparked everything off,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said Huawei will certainly be able to continue serving customers, adding that there will not be an impact on the company\u2019s production.<\/p>\n

Growth may slow down, he said, but not by as much as everyone is imagining.<\/p>\n

South Africa operators<\/strong><\/p>\n

MyBroadband asked South African mobile operators how Huawei’s ban might affect business and users locally:<\/p>\n