Huawei puts Honor above Android at new phone launch
HUAWEI put uncertainty over the future of its devices business to one side on Tuesday with the launch of new Honor smartphones, in a confident display of the Chinese firm’s technology.
The world’s second-biggest phone maker runs its devices on Google’s Android platform outside China, but the US Commerce Department blocked Huawei from buying US goods last week, throwing future software updates into question.
The United States temporarily eased restrictions on Huawei on Tuesday, granting it a licence to buy US goods until August 19, meaning that updates of Google apps like Gmail and YouTube can continue until then.
George Zhao, president of Huawei’s youth-focused brand Honor, told hundreds of reporters, bloggers and analysts that he was “really happy to see so many friends”.
“No matter what happens, no matter what kind of challenges ... just smile and overcome them,” he told the audience, a mantra that could apply equally to Huawei as to its young customers.