Millions of Huawei users in the United Kingdom may be left stuck with barely functioning phones as the company has been blocked from receiving future software updates due to US sanctions. The Chinese tech giant, which has been blacklisted by the US administration, is at risk of being unable to renew its licence, meaning users won't be able to use apps and receive Android updates from Google.
The Telegraph reported, citing the Office for National Statistics, that at least 41 million adults in the country own a smartphone, meaning that with Huawei's 10 percent share of the market at least four million people in the UK might be stuck with barely functioning phones as a result of the controversy around the Chinese company.
Huawei previously made major changes to its EMUI 10.1 operating system for smartphones and tablets, announcing a major shift away from Google.
While some Huawei phones (like P30 and Nova) are still expected to have the support of critical security features, new models developed after May 2019 are completely blocked from using Google's apps. The list of popular apps unavailable on the phones includes YouTube and Gmail, while Huawei's very own AppGallery does not include Netflix or Twitter.
The US has introduced sanctions against Huawei, claiming that its equipment is used by Chinese intelligence to spy on people abroad, which both Huawei and Beijing deny. Britain initially permitted the corporation to build 5G infrastructure in the country, but later made a U-turn, banning Huawei due to "the long-term security of our telecoms".