“Google wants an exceptional position in US trade ban with Huawei”

Google has warned the US government that the trade ban with Huawei could mean that the company will develop its own Android version that contains more bugs and is therefore more susceptible to hacks. Google therefore wants an exceptional position in the ban.

That writes the Financial Times on the basis of insiders. Due to the trade ban, Huawei phones should no longer receive Android updates. That is why the Chinese company would make its own version of Android, which the company can update. Google argues that this modified version probably contains more bugs than the version Google makes itself. As a result, this version would also run the risk of being hacked more quickly. In this way, the Huawei phones become a national security risk more quickly. To avoid this risk, Google is asking for an exception to the trade ban.

The talks between Google and the American government are going on behind closed doors, according to the newspaper, and both parties do not want to officially disclose the negotiations. The US government banned US companies from trading with Huawei and 70 companies related to Huawei in mid-May. The trade ban has been suspended for 90 days. Huawei is challenging this ban through the courts.

Due to the trade ban, Google can no longer provide an Android license to Huawei. That means that Huawei should switch to an open source Android variant without Google apps and the Play Store. Security updates will be available for that version later, and Huawei will not have access to early Android betas. Behind the scenes, Huawei is also working on its own operating system to replace Android if necessary. Possibly this operating system would be called Ark OS.