Huawei confirms that its developers have a new OS in the works to replace Android in case it runs into problems in the future.
The announcement arrives shortly after ZTE, another Chinese smartphone manufacturer, was recently found guilty by an American court for trade violations with Iran and North Korea. The investigation reportedly includes Huawei and started back in 2012.
Due to the court's findings, the former will be the subject of an export ban until March 2025, which possibly means the absence of Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets and the Android operating system. It is currently unknown if the latter was likewise found to have violated the same trade sanctions.
Preparing For The Worst-Case Scenario
Based on the current smartphone market, the top two operating systems available are the ones offered by Google and Apple. Ever since Microsoft ended its support for the Windows Phone OS, a large chunk of mobile devices not manufactured by Cupertino run on the sweets-themed operating system.
If the U.S. courts also come up with the conclusion that the Chinese brand also violated trade sanctions, then it might result in the same export ban issued against ZTE. Insiders confirmed that the company might be prepared for the scenario with a new OS alongside its HiSilicon Kirin chipsets.
Pending Official Confirmation
For now, Huawei did not share a word about a backup OS being in the works. In fact, Zhao Ming, Huawei's Honor sub-brand's president, shut down the rumors suggesting the development of a new operating system.
"We work very closely with Google and will continue to use its Android system," confirmed Ming. "We focus on products powered by Android OS and adopt an open attitude towards mobile OS."
Rumors about the new operating system could have been influenced by previous developments wherein Samsung developed its Tizen OS. However, most industry experts believe that the absence of the Android ecosystem will definitely have a negative effect on the sales of its products outside of China.
Confident Of The Outcome
It looks like Huawei is not really that worried about the results of the investigation involving trade sanction violations. The company cited its previous track record when it comes to investigations led by other countries, which could prove that it is compliance with the law.
Thus, it does not seem like the Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer is in a hurry to ship products with a new operating system anytime soon. A company representative confirmed that it will continue to follow its multi-vendor approach strategy, which will see the company sourcing chipsets from MediaTek in Taiwan and Qualcomm in the United States.
