Here’s an update on the U.S.-China tech battle that sparked earlier last month: Facebook has stopped letting its apps come pre-installed on Huawei smartphones in order to comply with U.S. restrictions.
The social network made the announcement on June 7 that the suspension only applies on new devices yet to be released. Existing Huawei users can still download, use and receive updates for the Facebook app, Facebook told Reuters.
However, new Huawei phones will no longer be able to have Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram apps pre-installed.
This move is a hard blow to Huawei as customers are likely to purchase a smartphone that has all the current apps pre-installed compared to the ones that are not.
It is still unknown if buyers of new Huawei devices will be able to install Facebook’s apps on their own.
Earlier in May, the U.S. government has launched a ban of technological supplies to Huawei on the grounds of cyber espionage.
The U.S. government claims that Huawei is too close to the Chinese government and that its telecom network could be a conduit for espionage.
Huawei denied the allegation but it didn’t convince the U.S. counterpart to put a stop on their supply to the region. The first stage of this retaliation commenced when Google suspends Huawei from using Android services last month, followed by other high profile companies which include Corning and ARM.
The drastic move had already caused a stir in their Europe and Asian markets as customers are reluctant to buy a Huawei product in fear of further restrictions on the tech aspects.
Tech analysts are expecting a sharp decline in the sales of Huawei smartphones in the near future.
Credit: Reuters
