Skip to main content

Google warns users not to transfer Google apps on Huawei phones

Google apps and services won’t be coming back to Huawei devices any time soon — and based on a new post published by Google on its Android support forums, it may be difficult to side-load or transfer Google apps onto Huawei devices, too.

The new post details how, because of government restrictions, Google has been prohibited from working with Huawei on new phones — and as such, you shouldn’t expect to see apps like Gmail, YouTube, or the Google Play Store on Huawei phones any time soon.

When it comes to the issue of side-loading, while some users may find a way to transfer apps onto Huawei phones, Google recommends they don’t. Why? Well, according to Google, there’s a “high risk of installing an app that has been altered or tampered with in ways that can compromise user security.”

Before Google allows apps and services to be installed on a phone, the phone has to be “certified,” which includes a rigorous security review. Huawei phones have not had to go through this security review, and as such Google can’t guarantee the security of user data on those devices.

“Because of the government restrictions described above, new Huawei device models made available to the public after May 16, 2019, have not been able to go through this security process nor will they have Play Protect preloaded,” Google said in a blog post. “As a result, they are considered ‘uncertified,’ and will not be able to utilize Google’s apps and services.”

There has been some leeway in government restrictions. Notably, the U.S. government granted a temporary general license that allowed Google to work with Huawei on some security updates for existing phones.

Generally speaking, there seems to be no end in sight for the government restrictions on Google’s work with Huawei — and Huawei is even developing its own operating system that could replace Android on its phones. The operating system is currently called Hongmeng, but it may end up being called Ark OS, according to some reports.

Huawei has also been restricted from supplying 5G equipment to U.S. telecommunications companies, however, the U.K. recently announced that it would allow companies to work with Huawei.

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
The best iPhone and Android apps for Black History Month 2024
best iPhone and Android apps for Black History Month.

February is celebrated as Black History Month to honor Black Americans' remarkable achievements and contributions. The theme for this year is "African Americans and the Arts," which shines a light on the impact of African Americans in different artistic fields, such as cultural expression, visual and performing arts, fashion, literature, and more.

In this regard, we present a list of popular iOS and Android apps developed by Black-owned businesses and cover various topics such as finance, entertainment, wellness, and more. These apps run on all the latest smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 15 Pro.
Calendly

Read more
Google is launching a powerful new AI app for your Android phone
Google Gemini app on Android.

Remember Bard, Google’s answer to ChatGPT? Well, it is now officially called Gemini. Also, all those fancy AI features that previously went by the name Duet AI have been folded under the Gemini branding. In case you haven’t been following up all the AI development flood, the name is derived from the multi-modal large language model of the same name.

To go with the renaming efforts, Google has launched a standalone Gemini app on Android. Moreover, the Gemini experience is also being made available to iPhone users within the Google app on iOS. But wait, there’s more.

Read more
If you have one of these apps on your Android phone, delete it immediately
The app drawer on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

The NSO Group raised security alarms this week, and once again, it’s the devastatingly powerful Pegasus malware that was deployed in Jordan to spy on journalists and activists. While that’s a high-profile case that entailed Apple filing a lawsuit against NSO Group, there’s a whole world of seemingly innocuous Android apps that are harvesting sensitive data from an average person’s phone.
The security experts at ESET have spotted at least 12 Android apps, most of which are disguised as chat apps, that actually plant a Trojan on the phone and then steal details such as call logs and messages, remotely gain control of the camera, and even extract chat details from end-to-end encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp.
The apps in question are YohooTalk, TikTalk, Privee Talk, MeetMe, Nidus, GlowChat, Let’s Chat, Quick Chat, Rafaqat, Chit Chat, Hello Chat, and Wave Chat. Needless to say, if you have any of these apps installed on your devices, delete them immediately.
Notably, six of these apps were available on the Google Play Store, raising the risk stakes as users flock here, putting their faith in the security protocols put in place by Google. A remote access trojan (RAT) named Vajra Spy is at the center of these app's espionage activities.

A chat app doing serious damage

Read more