Facebook Bans Pre-Installed Apps On Huawei Smartphones

In yet another blow to Chinese telecom company Huawei, Facebook has banned the pre-installation of its apps on Huawei smartphones.

Facebook told Reuters that customers with Huawei phones will still be able to use the apps and get updates, but no new phones will have Facebook, WhatsApp or Instagram preinstalled. This is seen as a major blow to Huawei, which has been struggling ever since the U.S. blacklisted the company. With smartphone sales becoming its largest revenue generator, the sale of the company could be hurt by the move.

Customers will still be able to download the apps from Google Play. However, future Huawei phones will not be able to access Google Play unless the U.S. removes the Chinese company from the blacklist.

In May, Reuters reported that Google is suspending all business with Huawei that requires it to transfer any hardware, software and technical services that are not publicly available via open-source licensing. Google’s move could hurt Huawei’s smartphone business, as it will not be able to access updates to the Android operating system. Huawei will also lose access to Google Play, YouTube and Gmail. The source noted that Huawei will only be able to use the public version of Android, and will not have access to proprietary apps or services offered by Google.

In a recent interview with Reuters, Huawei Chief Executive Ren Zhengfei said the move by the White House will hurt the lead Huawei has built over the past two years. He added that the company will ramp up its chip supply, or find other options to remain ahead in the smartphone and 5G markets. Following that, the U.S. Department of Commerce said it was looking to scale back some of the restrictions on the company to prevent any interruptions to existing network operations and equipment.