New Huawei Phones Won't Come With Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp
07 Giugno 2019 - 01:55PM
Dow Jones News
By Dan Strumpf
Facebook Inc. will no longer allow its apps to come
pre-installed on mobile devices made by Huawei Technologies Co.
following the U.S. blacklisting of the Chinese tech giant, dealing
another blow to its booming smartphone business.
Facebook, which owns popular apps including Instagram and
WhatsApp, is one of many software makers whose apps come
pre-installed on Huawei phones, which outsold Apple Inc.'s iPhone
globally in the first quarter of this year. Huawei is now second
only to Samsung Electronics Co.
Huawei will no longer be able to pre-install those apps,
according to a person familiar with the matter, though those who
already own Huawei phones will continue to have access to Facebook
apps and updates. It isn't clear if Huawei phone users without the
apps will be able to download the apps and updates themselves.
In a statement, a Facebook spokeswoman said: "We are reviewing
the Commerce Department's final rule and the more recently issued
temporary general license and taking steps to ensure compliance." A
Huawei spokesman declined to comment. Facebook's move was first
reported by Reuters.
Facebook is the latest U.S. company to restrict access to its
products following last month's blacklisting by the Commerce
Department that restricts the sale of American technology to Huawei
on national-security grounds. Alphabet Inc. has said it won't have
its popular Google apps on future Huawei phone models, will have to
limit the support for its Android operating system and will stop
providing other software such as security updates after a 90-day
window.
Facebook's move threatens Huawei's burgeoning smartphone
business, especially in key markets such as Europe. Consumer
devices are now Huawei's biggest revenue generator, pulling in more
than $50 billion last year, according to the company. Some Japanese
and European carriers have suspended plans to launch Huawei phones
over concerns about the future stability of their apps and
services.
The Commerce Department's export controls target Huawei's
traditional business of telecommunications equipment, in which it
is the market leader, because U.S. officials believe Beijing could
use the company's telecom gear to spy or disrupt communications
networks--claims Huawei vehemently denies. The order's effect,
however, will be felt across all of Huawei's businesses.
Crucial hardware suppliers including American chip maker
Qualcomm Inc. and U.K. chip design firm Arm Holdings PLC have also
been forced to halt business with Huawei.
The Chinese company has said it has a stockpile of components to
weather the supply disruption and it is also working on its own
operating system to replace Google's Android, on which its phones
currently run. Previous efforts by phone makers to launch their own
operating systems have met with limited success.
The Commerce Department action came alongside a U.S. executive
order aimed at blocking Huawei's business in the U.S. It follows a
campaign to restrict Huawei gear from 5G network rollouts in
countries that are close U.S. allies.
Newley Purnell contributed to this article.
Write to Dan Strumpf at daniel.strumpf@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 07, 2019 07:40 ET (11:40 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Grafico Azioni Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)
Storico
Da Feb 2024 a Mar 2024
Grafico Azioni Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)
Storico
Da Mar 2023 a Mar 2024