The Trump administration is making life more difficult for Huawei, further tightening restrictions on the smartphone manufacturer. The administration is refusing to renew a temporary license which would stop Huawei users from getting Android updates from Google.
US Commerce Department said that it will permit a limited permanent authorisation for Huawei entities to allow “ongoing security research critical to maintaining the integrity and reliability of existing and currently fully operational networks and equipment”.
The license allowed Huawei devices sold before 16th May 2019, to get Android updates. The temporary license also covered many rural telecommunications companies utilising Huawei equipment. Now, the parties have to apply for licenses for previously authorised transactions.
“As we have restricted its access to U.S. technology, Huawei and its affiliates have worked through third parties to harness U.S. technology in a manner that undermines U.S. national security and foreign policy interests,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement.
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The new sanction will be a huge blow for Huawei as not getting an Android update will force users of its devices in the US to abandon them eventually. The company could also face a barrage of lawsuits as some upset users might want to seek compensation.
Previous sanctions by the US government have prevented US companies from doing business with Huawei. This has heavily impacted the smartphone maker’s ability to obtain an Android license from Google. It has also made sure that Huawei users cannot use Google services.
In May 2020, the Commerce Department amended an export rule to block shipments of semiconductors to Huawei. The move was to “strategically target Huawei’s acquisition of semiconductors that are the direct product of certain US software and technology”.
The charge against Huawei remains that it is committing espionage on behalf of the Chinese government. A claim the company vehemently denies.
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