prc can turn to north korea and rely on kim-os. it's far more robotic and secured than android. but it cums with only 6.9 apps. the most popular app is "praise supreme leader", and in prc the most popular app among commie cadres will be "fuck xi".
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Google bans Communist Huawei phones from Android and Play Store!
- Thread starter kryonlight
- Start date
https://www.sammyboy.com/threads/hu...d-etc-cpu-chipset-os-apps.268625/post-2905628
HUAT AH!
See what Huawei & Chinese POWER is? HAHAHA! Dotard is dead PANTS DOWN!
All the APPS WILL JUMP SHIP TO Chinese 5G! Google is up lorry! MAGA!
https://www.rt.com/news/459924-huawei-os-android-apps/
Huawei CEO says company’s own OS will run Android apps - reports
Published time: 21 May, 2019 17:13
Get short URL
© Reuters / Philippe Wojazer
According to reports from Chinese sites Caijing and Phoenix Network Technology, Yu, who heads Huawei’s Consumer Business Group told a WeChat group that the company’s own operating system may be ready as soon as this fall or by next spring at the latest. Yu said that the operating system will be compatible with all android apps and may even improve their performance.
Yu said that the Chinese communications giant had been working on such an operating system since 2012.
Also on rt.com Europe unlikely to join US crackdown on Huawei after years of joint projects – company’s VP
While Huawei’s own OS may have been in development for five years, a swift release date is crucial for the tech firm, which recently overtook Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer. Following accusations of spying for the Chinese government, US President Donald Trump issued an order barring US firms from supplying Huawei with parts or technology.
Although Huawei was granted a 90-day grace period to continue doing business with US firms, the order will see the company lose access to Google’s apps and services thereafter, and forbid if from using Intel and Qualcomm chips in its devices.
Huawei has denied the accusations of spying, and company founder and overall CEO Ren Zhengfei said on Saturday that the company had been “preparing for this” for a long time.
Also on rt.com Now Game of Drones? US firms ‘warned’ against Chinese UAVs
The crackdown on Huawei comes amid a two-year trade war between Washington and Beijing, and a panic in the US over the alleged security dangers of Chinese technology. The US Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday issued a memo to the tech industry warning that Chinese-made drones may be transmitting their users’ data to Chinese intelligence agencies.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
HUAT AH! Whoever Chow Ang Moh IDIOTS try to GUAI-LAN with China will be instantly cannibalized alive and swallowed in whole!
They asked for it! Chinese are so DIVINE & POWERFUL, and yet too kind and tolerant and merciful towards Chow Ang Moh, yet these bastard bankrupted beggars want to Guai-Lan??!! Deserve to die!!
HUAT AH!
See what Huawei & Chinese POWER is? HAHAHA! Dotard is dead PANTS DOWN!
All the APPS WILL JUMP SHIP TO Chinese 5G! Google is up lorry! MAGA!
https://www.rt.com/news/459924-huawei-os-android-apps/
Huawei CEO says company’s own OS will run Android apps - reports
Published time: 21 May, 2019 17:13
Get short URL
© Reuters / Philippe Wojazer
- 5674
- 24
According to reports from Chinese sites Caijing and Phoenix Network Technology, Yu, who heads Huawei’s Consumer Business Group told a WeChat group that the company’s own operating system may be ready as soon as this fall or by next spring at the latest. Yu said that the operating system will be compatible with all android apps and may even improve their performance.
Yu said that the Chinese communications giant had been working on such an operating system since 2012.
Also on rt.com Europe unlikely to join US crackdown on Huawei after years of joint projects – company’s VP
While Huawei’s own OS may have been in development for five years, a swift release date is crucial for the tech firm, which recently overtook Apple to become the world’s second-largest smartphone manufacturer. Following accusations of spying for the Chinese government, US President Donald Trump issued an order barring US firms from supplying Huawei with parts or technology.
Although Huawei was granted a 90-day grace period to continue doing business with US firms, the order will see the company lose access to Google’s apps and services thereafter, and forbid if from using Intel and Qualcomm chips in its devices.
Huawei has denied the accusations of spying, and company founder and overall CEO Ren Zhengfei said on Saturday that the company had been “preparing for this” for a long time.
Also on rt.com Now Game of Drones? US firms ‘warned’ against Chinese UAVs
The crackdown on Huawei comes amid a two-year trade war between Washington and Beijing, and a panic in the US over the alleged security dangers of Chinese technology. The US Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday issued a memo to the tech industry warning that Chinese-made drones may be transmitting their users’ data to Chinese intelligence agencies.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
HUAT AH! Whoever Chow Ang Moh IDIOTS try to GUAI-LAN with China will be instantly cannibalized alive and swallowed in whole!
They asked for it! Chinese are so DIVINE & POWERFUL, and yet too kind and tolerant and merciful towards Chow Ang Moh, yet these bastard bankrupted beggars want to Guai-Lan??!! Deserve to die!!
Huawei’s Hail Mary mobile ‘plan B’
A Chinese couple browse their smartphones as they walk by the new Huawei P30 smartphone advertisement. Picture: Andy Wong
A Chinese couple browse their smartphones as they walk by the new Huawei P30 smartphone advertisement. Picture: Andy WongSource:AP
WHAT IT MEANS FOR SMARTPHONE USERS
Google’s Android and Apple’s proprietary iOS have a stranglehold on smartphone operating systems, accounting for about 99 per cent of the global market.
On the hardware side, Huawei’s smartphone technology has come along in leaps and bounds in recent years, rocketing the company into the second largest smartphone maker in the world in terms of global shipments.
The company’s latest flagship phone — the Huawei P30 Pro — received widespread positive reviews for its standout hardware features, including from news.com.au. But analysts predict consumers will abandon Huawei for other smartphone makers if the company can only use a stripped-down version of the Android software that powers the user experience.
Some Huawei smartphone owners have reportedly been panic selling their devices with an influx turning up on Gumtree in the past 24 hours.
Huawei Australia’s director of corporate affairs, Jeremy Mitchell, has told Australians their current devices will still have the Google apps.
“We want to assure Huawei customers in Australia that the US actions involving Google will not impact consumers with a Huawei smartphone or tablet or those that are planning to buy a Huawei device in the near future from an Australian retail outlet,” he said.
“Consumers with Huawei devices will still receive security updates and be able to use Google apps. Huawei will continue to provide after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally.”
HUAWEI’S PLAN B
Huawei has publicly acknowledged several times since 2012 that it has been developing its own mobile operating system as an alternative to Google’s Android OS should it be forced to need it.
“We have prepared our own operating system, if it turns out we can no longer use these systems, we will be ready and have our plan B,” Huawei’s mobile chief Richard Yu Chengdong said in an interview with German publication Die Welt in March.
That operating system is reportedly called HongMeng OS but it remains to be seen if Huawei will be forced to deploy it on the future devices it ships outside China.
Huawei phones sold in China already lack the Google Play Store, Google services and many popular third party apps, but expanding its Chinese app store alternative outside the country would come with huge challenges.
Even if Huawei is able to strike out on its own with a great operating system, it would still need to convince app developers to bring popular apps to Huawei’s own app store.
Samsung has previously tried to do this with its self-developed operating system dubbed Tizen but it completely failed to catch on, largely because it lacked the apps people wanted.
Google said basic services would still function on the Android operating system used in Huawei’s smartphones and existing smartphone owners would not lose access to its Google Play app store or security features.
In the near term, it’s very possible Huawei can rely on the open-source and bare-bones version of Android coupled with its own interface software that runs on top of Android called EMUI, formerly known as Emotion UI.
For now, “Australian consumers will be able to continue using Google services like Google Play and Gmail on their Huawei phones as they normally would,” Mr Mitchell said.
“Google Android updates will continue to be provided for Huawei EMUI and Google apps will not be affected.”
Chinese Telecom equipment company Huawei Consumer Products division CEO Richard Yu gestures as he speaks on stage during the presentation the new P30 smartphone. Picture: Eric Piermont
Chinese Telecom equipment company Huawei Consumer Products division CEO Richard Yu gestures as he speaks on stage during the presentation the new P30 smartphone. Picture: Eric PiermontSource:AFP
A FIGHT FOR TECH DOMINANCE
The Trump administration’s move ups the ante in a trade war between Washington and Beijing that partly reflects a struggle for global economic and technological dominance.
Huawei’s telecom infrastructure division which develops equipment to build out cable broadband and wireless mobile networks has been plagued by espionage fears held by the West.
It’s one of the world’s leading vendors for telecom equipment but relies on US components including computer chips meaning the business will need to look elsewhere.
The Australian government took the step of banning Huawei’s equipment from 5G networks being rolled out in the country but if the US ban stays in place, the pace of 5G mobile technology will likely be slow in countries relying on Chinese equipment.
Huawei’s smartphone arm has also laboured under a similar suspicion, albeit to a much lesser degree, but hadn’t really suffered until now.
Google (which has been ramping up its own smartphone efforts in recent years) could seek exemptions from the White House mandate but has not commented on whether it planned to do so.
Google may lose some licensing fees and opportunities to show ads on Huawei phones but it wouldn’t be a major financial concern for the company.
Meanwhile, other US tech companies including chipmakers such as Intel and Qualcomm have reportedly told workers they will stop supplying Huawei.
A Chinese couple browse their smartphones as they walk by the new Huawei P30 smartphone advertisement. Picture: Andy Wong
A Chinese couple browse their smartphones as they walk by the new Huawei P30 smartphone advertisement. Picture: Andy WongSource:AP
WHAT IT MEANS FOR SMARTPHONE USERS
Google’s Android and Apple’s proprietary iOS have a stranglehold on smartphone operating systems, accounting for about 99 per cent of the global market.
On the hardware side, Huawei’s smartphone technology has come along in leaps and bounds in recent years, rocketing the company into the second largest smartphone maker in the world in terms of global shipments.
The company’s latest flagship phone — the Huawei P30 Pro — received widespread positive reviews for its standout hardware features, including from news.com.au. But analysts predict consumers will abandon Huawei for other smartphone makers if the company can only use a stripped-down version of the Android software that powers the user experience.
Some Huawei smartphone owners have reportedly been panic selling their devices with an influx turning up on Gumtree in the past 24 hours.
Huawei Australia’s director of corporate affairs, Jeremy Mitchell, has told Australians their current devices will still have the Google apps.
“We want to assure Huawei customers in Australia that the US actions involving Google will not impact consumers with a Huawei smartphone or tablet or those that are planning to buy a Huawei device in the near future from an Australian retail outlet,” he said.
“Consumers with Huawei devices will still receive security updates and be able to use Google apps. Huawei will continue to provide after-sales services to all existing Huawei and Honor smartphone and tablet products, covering those that have been sold and that are still in stock globally.”
HUAWEI’S PLAN B
Huawei has publicly acknowledged several times since 2012 that it has been developing its own mobile operating system as an alternative to Google’s Android OS should it be forced to need it.
“We have prepared our own operating system, if it turns out we can no longer use these systems, we will be ready and have our plan B,” Huawei’s mobile chief Richard Yu Chengdong said in an interview with German publication Die Welt in March.
That operating system is reportedly called HongMeng OS but it remains to be seen if Huawei will be forced to deploy it on the future devices it ships outside China.
Huawei phones sold in China already lack the Google Play Store, Google services and many popular third party apps, but expanding its Chinese app store alternative outside the country would come with huge challenges.
Even if Huawei is able to strike out on its own with a great operating system, it would still need to convince app developers to bring popular apps to Huawei’s own app store.
Samsung has previously tried to do this with its self-developed operating system dubbed Tizen but it completely failed to catch on, largely because it lacked the apps people wanted.
Google said basic services would still function on the Android operating system used in Huawei’s smartphones and existing smartphone owners would not lose access to its Google Play app store or security features.
In the near term, it’s very possible Huawei can rely on the open-source and bare-bones version of Android coupled with its own interface software that runs on top of Android called EMUI, formerly known as Emotion UI.
For now, “Australian consumers will be able to continue using Google services like Google Play and Gmail on their Huawei phones as they normally would,” Mr Mitchell said.
“Google Android updates will continue to be provided for Huawei EMUI and Google apps will not be affected.”
Chinese Telecom equipment company Huawei Consumer Products division CEO Richard Yu gestures as he speaks on stage during the presentation the new P30 smartphone. Picture: Eric Piermont
Chinese Telecom equipment company Huawei Consumer Products division CEO Richard Yu gestures as he speaks on stage during the presentation the new P30 smartphone. Picture: Eric PiermontSource:AFP
A FIGHT FOR TECH DOMINANCE
The Trump administration’s move ups the ante in a trade war between Washington and Beijing that partly reflects a struggle for global economic and technological dominance.
Huawei’s telecom infrastructure division which develops equipment to build out cable broadband and wireless mobile networks has been plagued by espionage fears held by the West.
It’s one of the world’s leading vendors for telecom equipment but relies on US components including computer chips meaning the business will need to look elsewhere.
The Australian government took the step of banning Huawei’s equipment from 5G networks being rolled out in the country but if the US ban stays in place, the pace of 5G mobile technology will likely be slow in countries relying on Chinese equipment.
Huawei’s smartphone arm has also laboured under a similar suspicion, albeit to a much lesser degree, but hadn’t really suffered until now.
Google (which has been ramping up its own smartphone efforts in recent years) could seek exemptions from the White House mandate but has not commented on whether it planned to do so.
Google may lose some licensing fees and opportunities to show ads on Huawei phones but it wouldn’t be a major financial concern for the company.
Meanwhile, other US tech companies including chipmakers such as Intel and Qualcomm have reportedly told workers they will stop supplying Huawei.
Android Central
NOT GOOD
Losing Google support would irreparably damage Huawei's global smartphone business
Even a company as big and influential as Huawei doesn't stand a chance in the open market without Google services.
ANDREW MARTONIK
20 May 2019
30
It took less than two days after the announcement of President Trump's executive order to increase scrutiny of business dealings between foreign and U.S. technology companies for the first major shoe to drop: Huawei is expected to fully lose access to Google apps and services, as well as future Google-approved Android updates. And unlike previous government intervention that only affected Huawei's ability to sell its smartphones in the U.S., this decision has ramifications for the company's global operations — and if it comes to fruition, will irreparably damage Huawei's smartphone business.
It simply isn't reasonable in 2019 for any company to launch a phone outside of China without Google services.
Huawei, just like every other company successfully selling Android phones, relies on support from Google. Android is open source, yes, but as has been shown time and time again, an "Android" phone without Google apps and services isn't something that consumers want. (This is, coincidentally, exactly what the European Commission and Google are constantly fighting over.) Last week's actions by the U.S. government have made it so that Google simply cannot provide certification or apps and services to Huawei. And as such, Huawei seems destined to have to retreat to only selling phones in China, where it doesn't have access to Google services as it is, and certain very specific market and price segments where Google services aren't as important.
Many companies have tried to make Android devices without the Play Store, and while there are a number of success stories across the technology space in general, there's nothing but a long line of failures when it comes to smartphones. It simply isn't reasonable in 2019 for any company to launch a phone outside of China without Google services and expect it to actually sell. It can have the best cameras, hardware, specs and core operating system we've ever seen, but unless it has Google's apps, and crucially the Play Store, effectively zero people will be interested in buying it. I'm sure Huawei can (and does) make a fine phone with all of its own services — but if it intends to compete in a market filled with 100% of phones having access to Google services and the Play Store, it has to have them as well.
Huawei P30 Pro
It can be tough to break out of our U.S. perspective and realize just how big of a deal Huawei is in the smartphone world. Though its phones are effectively a non-factor here, Huawei's global smartphone market share is approaching 20%, which is now above Apple. It built most of that market share on providing value-minded consumers around the world get phones with solid specs and capabilities at exceptional prices. But even in high-income countries, Huawei has finally managed to make inroads in the highly competitive flagship phone space. It's a real competitor in most major countries around the world, and a leader in some. Now, it's destined to lose all of that momentum.
Even if the ban were only in place for a short period, only to be reversed by some sort of specific deal with China or a future U.S. administration, the damage would already be done. Consumers are, ultimately, fickle — the first time someone goes to buy a Huawei phone and finds that it doesn't have Google services on it, the Huawei brand name will be tarnished and you can bet they won't be looking to Huawei the next time they upgrade. It will ultimately be extremely difficult to make back that ground lost with even a short period of attempting to sell phones without Google services; and things would be no better by Huawei missing out on a year or two of not being in the market with new devices of any kind.
Huawei's global smartphone business will be damaged beyond repair if this ban fully goes into effect.
Huawei, of course, has a history of making phones for China without Google services or support. And there are over 1.3 billion people in China — that's a healthy marketplace in its own right. Huawei has nearly 30% market share there as it is. It has built up its own operating system, services and partnerships to make its phones competitive in China, and this would lead you to think it could theoretically do the same globally. But there are clear differences that make that idea a non-starter, namely the history of Google services never being available in China meaning Huawei been competing on even footing with other companies building their own ecosystems and not adopting Google's superior one.
You can bet Huawei's market share in China will grow if it's effectively its only market to invest in. But considering its strong global market share and sales, only selling in China would mark a dramatic reduction in its smartphone operations. A consolation prize.
The question remains just how quickly Huawei will choose to wind down, or pause, its smartphone development outside of China. We thankfully know that existing Huawei devices will continue to have Google support and receive updates, which will obviously keep things rolling for some time to come. But if this ban from the U.S. government on business operations goes into full effect longterm, we're only a handful of months away from Huawei having to make a very tough decision on whether it will choose to try and launch an Android phone outside of China without Google services, or put the entire operation on hold in hopes of a reversal of the decision. As painful as it would be for Huawei, my vote goes for the latter.
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Opinions Huawei
Losing Google support would irreparably damage Huawei's global smartphone business
MarkMcCoskey
Will be interesting to see how fast China gets back to the table with Trump. Trade deal plus assurances.
Mon May 20, 2019 2:02pm
Reply
brucewayne
Nah, China will just ban US products. Trump will be the one running back to the table
Mon May 20, 2019 2:53pm
Reply
fightcrazy
No way, China thinks if they wait Trump will give in, No, Trump will wait till 2020 when he gets elected President for 4 more yrs. If China holds out that long, China will be screwed big time. China needs US markets, US can go to India, Korea & many others. The USA is China's biggest market. Screw China, Screw Huawei.
Mon May 20, 2019 10:32pm
Reply
brucewayne
Hahahahahaha.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Just pick up and go to India. Costs would be super minimal.
Lol.
"make America great again"
Tue May 21, 2019 8:20pm
Reply
MartialText
China got to where it is by stealing A LOT of US intellectual property. I believe there was a lot of discussion about IP theft during the recent trade talks. When the Chinese realized they could no longer just rob us blind, they balked. Now, their major electronics manufacturer has its nuts in a vice. They will have to play ball (no pun intended) or face the consequences. Sounds like winning to me.
Mon May 20, 2019 4:29pm
Reply
Martin Zitter
In China, you may criticize the U.S. to your heart's content. However, if you criticize China, you get sent to a re-education camp, or worse.
Mon May 20, 2019 5:37pm
Reply
Lestat1886
Retaliation from China could be hard for everyone: boycott of Apple and other US companies (tech related or not), raising prices of raw materials used for Silicon by every manufacturer, etc.
This trade war will have no winner...
Mon May 20, 2019 2:37pm
Reply
toukale
The Apple part will be tricky, Apple currently supports the hiring of about 1 million people in China. If China does that, they will effectively be putting 1 million folks out of work.
Mon May 20, 2019 2:44pm
Reply
brucewayne
How many jobs would be lost due the damage this creates for Huawei? I'm fully expecting a US product ban in China forthcoming.
Mon May 20, 2019 2:53pm
Reply
Zo Fryer
China will ban Apple in days. Google will change their mind, as they were doing Apple a solid with this nonsense anyway. Apple will get unbanned in China. It's kinda obvious that's how this is going to play out. Huawei is going to be just fine. They actually make their own phones.
Mon May 20, 2019 2:58pm
Reply
Sapient
Google can't "change their minds" on this. This is being mandated by the US government.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:09pm
Reply
Zo Fryer
I'm literally shorting Apple right now. China's reaction is going to be a bloodbath of historic proportions.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:00pm
Reply
Altema22
Do you mean shopping instead of shorting? Typos happen! Anyway, if you meant shopping Apple, there's plenty of alternatives to Huawei... it's just one brand of Android phones.
Tue May 21, 2019 8:30am
Reply
KingFisherMacD
I think Zo means shorting. It's sort of a bet on a certain stock going down.
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_(finance)?wprov=sfla1
Tue May 21, 2019 9:11am
Reply
Averix
This could also spawn a 3rd ecosystem. With 20% of global phone sales so far, Huawei could opt to create their own store, services, and apps. Then Google would be facing a serious fracture that they might not recover from.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:03pm
Reply
toukale
Creating a store is not the issue, hell a bunch of companies has tried (Microsoft, Samsung, etc...) the issue is developers and apps. Microsoft threw millions at the problem and even paid developers to do so but failed. There is no appetite for a 3rd mobile OS presently. Unless the EU does like China did and ban everything Google related there is almost zero chance of a 3rd mobile platform succeeding in the current market
Mon May 20, 2019 3:15pm
Reply
Andrew Martonik
But the point here is that that 20% market share globally will be reduced dramatically as soon as this goes into effect. Huawei's "global" sales will soon be "China." There's a whole lot less pull there.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:26pm
Reply
foxbat121
Samsung, LG and Moto will happy to fill up that 20% void Huawei left behind. Huawei will still dominate Chinar market unfaced.
Tue May 21, 2019 1:36pm
Reply
Tharanis
Well I think this will backfire at US. Everywhere I see titles like what will Huawei do now? But I am just curious about one other thing that seems to be absent. What about Google and other US companies credibilities? Who can guarantee now, when that madman Trump is a president, that they won't include other company on that "black list". For the companies like Xiaomi, Oneplus and others there is no reason to trust any of american company right now. All because of this one move.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:44pm
Reply
cbingman
Huawei is in a way different category than OnePlus or Xiaomi. Their infrastructure is much larger and much more diverse. They pose a bigger target economically. Even with the amount of the smartphone market they own, something like this could bring their 5G deployments in Europe and SE Asia to a halt due to cash on hand concerns. That could be of even greater impact to them.
Mon May 20, 2019 5:26pm
Reply
Altema22
The other aspect is Oneplus, Xaiomi, and most other smartphone companies don't have a history of trust problems. Huawei was banned by several other countries before this incident came to a head. We embrace Samsung and have no problems with Sony because we can trust them.
Mon May 20, 2019 7:51pm
Reply
Blake BB
The US economy can withstand far more than the Chinese.
Mon May 20, 2019 9:47pm
Reply
finbaar
What your missing is that Trump is seeking re-election. next year. The Chinese Government are not and will not accept a loss of face. Trump is simply using this as a negotiating tactic to get his own way.
Tue May 21, 2019 1:50am
Reply
Bishounen
Well, Trump's way is America's way. So I'm all for it. Google is, admittedly, smart to do this. They KNOW that the Trump DOJ is looking at them for possible Monopoly prosecution and removal of the Safe harbor "Platform" provision for their social media products. They are trying to ingratiate themselves by doing the right thing. (for once.) I doubt it will work for them, but still glad to see it happen.
Tue May 21, 2019 10:49am
Reply
Prime Tambayong
Don't they have the honor brand?
Tue May 21, 2019 3:02am
Reply
Altema22
Yes, Honor is a sub-brand of Huawei, and will also be legally affected by this.
Tue May 21, 2019 8:20am
Reply
Bishounen
And here we see yet another reason why Google is too big and needs to be broken up. A smartphone duopoly of Apple and Google is just plain bad for consumers.
It's also bad for companies too, as we have seen as now Huawei is feeling the crunch.
If only LG would get off their butts and bring WebOS back to smartphones! We need more competition in the smart phone arena!
Tue May 21, 2019 10:46am
Reply
pda96
I'm crying crocodile tears right now.
Tue May 21, 2019 12:16pm
Reply
chosen1_88
It goes beyond just selling phones: The ban also applies to its other businesses like infrastructure, PCs, etc. Those are much more damaging to Huawei than the phone sales (although given how into our phones most of us are, the focus may very well be with phones).
I personally stopped considering Huawei phones after China detained Canadian citizens and sentenced them to death in retaliation for the detention of Huawei's CFO for extradition to the US. I don't think China has the guts to do anything like that to the US, even though this ban has a much more far reaching impact to more of its citizens than a single person. But if I had just bought a P30 Pro, I'd be pretty pissed right now. That said, this might lead to inventory clear outs which could lead to getting one cheap (see Essential Phone).
Tue May 21, 2019 2:04pm
Reply
JoeinSK
Great article. Totally agree. Unless Trump lifts tariffs and ends trade war, which is highly unlikely, Huawei is toast. My fear is who will Trump come after next? When will he try to shut down Sammy? It's just a matter of time before Trump goes after Sammy. He'll find some reason to do it (probably before 2020 election) You can bet the house on it. Shutting down Sammy would be a HUGE among Trump supporters. Also, if I'm an Apple stockholder, I am jumping for joy right now with Trump in office. Trust me folks, this Huawei ban is just the beginning. Nothing is gonna stop Trump. Not Congress. Not the WTO. NOBODY!
Wed May 22, 2019 3:21am
Reply
Mobile Nations
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NOT GOOD
Losing Google support would irreparably damage Huawei's global smartphone business
Even a company as big and influential as Huawei doesn't stand a chance in the open market without Google services.
ANDREW MARTONIK
20 May 2019
30
It took less than two days after the announcement of President Trump's executive order to increase scrutiny of business dealings between foreign and U.S. technology companies for the first major shoe to drop: Huawei is expected to fully lose access to Google apps and services, as well as future Google-approved Android updates. And unlike previous government intervention that only affected Huawei's ability to sell its smartphones in the U.S., this decision has ramifications for the company's global operations — and if it comes to fruition, will irreparably damage Huawei's smartphone business.
It simply isn't reasonable in 2019 for any company to launch a phone outside of China without Google services.
Huawei, just like every other company successfully selling Android phones, relies on support from Google. Android is open source, yes, but as has been shown time and time again, an "Android" phone without Google apps and services isn't something that consumers want. (This is, coincidentally, exactly what the European Commission and Google are constantly fighting over.) Last week's actions by the U.S. government have made it so that Google simply cannot provide certification or apps and services to Huawei. And as such, Huawei seems destined to have to retreat to only selling phones in China, where it doesn't have access to Google services as it is, and certain very specific market and price segments where Google services aren't as important.
Many companies have tried to make Android devices without the Play Store, and while there are a number of success stories across the technology space in general, there's nothing but a long line of failures when it comes to smartphones. It simply isn't reasonable in 2019 for any company to launch a phone outside of China without Google services and expect it to actually sell. It can have the best cameras, hardware, specs and core operating system we've ever seen, but unless it has Google's apps, and crucially the Play Store, effectively zero people will be interested in buying it. I'm sure Huawei can (and does) make a fine phone with all of its own services — but if it intends to compete in a market filled with 100% of phones having access to Google services and the Play Store, it has to have them as well.
Huawei P30 Pro
It can be tough to break out of our U.S. perspective and realize just how big of a deal Huawei is in the smartphone world. Though its phones are effectively a non-factor here, Huawei's global smartphone market share is approaching 20%, which is now above Apple. It built most of that market share on providing value-minded consumers around the world get phones with solid specs and capabilities at exceptional prices. But even in high-income countries, Huawei has finally managed to make inroads in the highly competitive flagship phone space. It's a real competitor in most major countries around the world, and a leader in some. Now, it's destined to lose all of that momentum.
Even if the ban were only in place for a short period, only to be reversed by some sort of specific deal with China or a future U.S. administration, the damage would already be done. Consumers are, ultimately, fickle — the first time someone goes to buy a Huawei phone and finds that it doesn't have Google services on it, the Huawei brand name will be tarnished and you can bet they won't be looking to Huawei the next time they upgrade. It will ultimately be extremely difficult to make back that ground lost with even a short period of attempting to sell phones without Google services; and things would be no better by Huawei missing out on a year or two of not being in the market with new devices of any kind.
Huawei's global smartphone business will be damaged beyond repair if this ban fully goes into effect.
Huawei, of course, has a history of making phones for China without Google services or support. And there are over 1.3 billion people in China — that's a healthy marketplace in its own right. Huawei has nearly 30% market share there as it is. It has built up its own operating system, services and partnerships to make its phones competitive in China, and this would lead you to think it could theoretically do the same globally. But there are clear differences that make that idea a non-starter, namely the history of Google services never being available in China meaning Huawei been competing on even footing with other companies building their own ecosystems and not adopting Google's superior one.
You can bet Huawei's market share in China will grow if it's effectively its only market to invest in. But considering its strong global market share and sales, only selling in China would mark a dramatic reduction in its smartphone operations. A consolation prize.
The question remains just how quickly Huawei will choose to wind down, or pause, its smartphone development outside of China. We thankfully know that existing Huawei devices will continue to have Google support and receive updates, which will obviously keep things rolling for some time to come. But if this ban from the U.S. government on business operations goes into full effect longterm, we're only a handful of months away from Huawei having to make a very tough decision on whether it will choose to try and launch an Android phone outside of China without Google services, or put the entire operation on hold in hopes of a reversal of the decision. As painful as it would be for Huawei, my vote goes for the latter.
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Opinions Huawei
Losing Google support would irreparably damage Huawei's global smartphone business
MarkMcCoskey
Will be interesting to see how fast China gets back to the table with Trump. Trade deal plus assurances.
Mon May 20, 2019 2:02pm
Reply
brucewayne
Nah, China will just ban US products. Trump will be the one running back to the table
Mon May 20, 2019 2:53pm
Reply
fightcrazy
No way, China thinks if they wait Trump will give in, No, Trump will wait till 2020 when he gets elected President for 4 more yrs. If China holds out that long, China will be screwed big time. China needs US markets, US can go to India, Korea & many others. The USA is China's biggest market. Screw China, Screw Huawei.
Mon May 20, 2019 10:32pm
Reply
brucewayne
Hahahahahaha.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Just pick up and go to India. Costs would be super minimal.
Lol.
"make America great again"
Tue May 21, 2019 8:20pm
Reply
MartialText
China got to where it is by stealing A LOT of US intellectual property. I believe there was a lot of discussion about IP theft during the recent trade talks. When the Chinese realized they could no longer just rob us blind, they balked. Now, their major electronics manufacturer has its nuts in a vice. They will have to play ball (no pun intended) or face the consequences. Sounds like winning to me.
Mon May 20, 2019 4:29pm
Reply
Martin Zitter
In China, you may criticize the U.S. to your heart's content. However, if you criticize China, you get sent to a re-education camp, or worse.
Mon May 20, 2019 5:37pm
Reply
Lestat1886
Retaliation from China could be hard for everyone: boycott of Apple and other US companies (tech related or not), raising prices of raw materials used for Silicon by every manufacturer, etc.
This trade war will have no winner...
Mon May 20, 2019 2:37pm
Reply
toukale
The Apple part will be tricky, Apple currently supports the hiring of about 1 million people in China. If China does that, they will effectively be putting 1 million folks out of work.
Mon May 20, 2019 2:44pm
Reply
brucewayne
How many jobs would be lost due the damage this creates for Huawei? I'm fully expecting a US product ban in China forthcoming.
Mon May 20, 2019 2:53pm
Reply
Zo Fryer
China will ban Apple in days. Google will change their mind, as they were doing Apple a solid with this nonsense anyway. Apple will get unbanned in China. It's kinda obvious that's how this is going to play out. Huawei is going to be just fine. They actually make their own phones.
Mon May 20, 2019 2:58pm
Reply
Sapient
Google can't "change their minds" on this. This is being mandated by the US government.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:09pm
Reply
Zo Fryer
I'm literally shorting Apple right now. China's reaction is going to be a bloodbath of historic proportions.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:00pm
Reply
Altema22
Do you mean shopping instead of shorting? Typos happen! Anyway, if you meant shopping Apple, there's plenty of alternatives to Huawei... it's just one brand of Android phones.
Tue May 21, 2019 8:30am
Reply
KingFisherMacD
I think Zo means shorting. It's sort of a bet on a certain stock going down.
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_(finance)?wprov=sfla1
Tue May 21, 2019 9:11am
Reply
Averix
This could also spawn a 3rd ecosystem. With 20% of global phone sales so far, Huawei could opt to create their own store, services, and apps. Then Google would be facing a serious fracture that they might not recover from.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:03pm
Reply
toukale
Creating a store is not the issue, hell a bunch of companies has tried (Microsoft, Samsung, etc...) the issue is developers and apps. Microsoft threw millions at the problem and even paid developers to do so but failed. There is no appetite for a 3rd mobile OS presently. Unless the EU does like China did and ban everything Google related there is almost zero chance of a 3rd mobile platform succeeding in the current market
Mon May 20, 2019 3:15pm
Reply
Andrew Martonik
But the point here is that that 20% market share globally will be reduced dramatically as soon as this goes into effect. Huawei's "global" sales will soon be "China." There's a whole lot less pull there.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:26pm
Reply
foxbat121
Samsung, LG and Moto will happy to fill up that 20% void Huawei left behind. Huawei will still dominate Chinar market unfaced.
Tue May 21, 2019 1:36pm
Reply
Tharanis
Well I think this will backfire at US. Everywhere I see titles like what will Huawei do now? But I am just curious about one other thing that seems to be absent. What about Google and other US companies credibilities? Who can guarantee now, when that madman Trump is a president, that they won't include other company on that "black list". For the companies like Xiaomi, Oneplus and others there is no reason to trust any of american company right now. All because of this one move.
Mon May 20, 2019 3:44pm
Reply
cbingman
Huawei is in a way different category than OnePlus or Xiaomi. Their infrastructure is much larger and much more diverse. They pose a bigger target economically. Even with the amount of the smartphone market they own, something like this could bring their 5G deployments in Europe and SE Asia to a halt due to cash on hand concerns. That could be of even greater impact to them.
Mon May 20, 2019 5:26pm
Reply
Altema22
The other aspect is Oneplus, Xaiomi, and most other smartphone companies don't have a history of trust problems. Huawei was banned by several other countries before this incident came to a head. We embrace Samsung and have no problems with Sony because we can trust them.
Mon May 20, 2019 7:51pm
Reply
Blake BB
The US economy can withstand far more than the Chinese.
Mon May 20, 2019 9:47pm
Reply
finbaar
What your missing is that Trump is seeking re-election. next year. The Chinese Government are not and will not accept a loss of face. Trump is simply using this as a negotiating tactic to get his own way.
Tue May 21, 2019 1:50am
Reply
Bishounen
Well, Trump's way is America's way. So I'm all for it. Google is, admittedly, smart to do this. They KNOW that the Trump DOJ is looking at them for possible Monopoly prosecution and removal of the Safe harbor "Platform" provision for their social media products. They are trying to ingratiate themselves by doing the right thing. (for once.) I doubt it will work for them, but still glad to see it happen.
Tue May 21, 2019 10:49am
Reply
Prime Tambayong
Don't they have the honor brand?
Tue May 21, 2019 3:02am
Reply
Altema22
Yes, Honor is a sub-brand of Huawei, and will also be legally affected by this.
Tue May 21, 2019 8:20am
Reply
Bishounen
And here we see yet another reason why Google is too big and needs to be broken up. A smartphone duopoly of Apple and Google is just plain bad for consumers.
It's also bad for companies too, as we have seen as now Huawei is feeling the crunch.
If only LG would get off their butts and bring WebOS back to smartphones! We need more competition in the smart phone arena!
Tue May 21, 2019 10:46am
Reply
pda96
I'm crying crocodile tears right now.
Tue May 21, 2019 12:16pm
Reply
chosen1_88
It goes beyond just selling phones: The ban also applies to its other businesses like infrastructure, PCs, etc. Those are much more damaging to Huawei than the phone sales (although given how into our phones most of us are, the focus may very well be with phones).
I personally stopped considering Huawei phones after China detained Canadian citizens and sentenced them to death in retaliation for the detention of Huawei's CFO for extradition to the US. I don't think China has the guts to do anything like that to the US, even though this ban has a much more far reaching impact to more of its citizens than a single person. But if I had just bought a P30 Pro, I'd be pretty pissed right now. That said, this might lead to inventory clear outs which could lead to getting one cheap (see Essential Phone).
Tue May 21, 2019 2:04pm
Reply
JoeinSK
Great article. Totally agree. Unless Trump lifts tariffs and ends trade war, which is highly unlikely, Huawei is toast. My fear is who will Trump come after next? When will he try to shut down Sammy? It's just a matter of time before Trump goes after Sammy. He'll find some reason to do it (probably before 2020 election) You can bet the house on it. Shutting down Sammy would be a HUGE among Trump supporters. Also, if I'm an Apple stockholder, I am jumping for joy right now with Trump in office. Trust me folks, this Huawei ban is just the beginning. Nothing is gonna stop Trump. Not Congress. Not the WTO. NOBODY!
Wed May 22, 2019 3:21am
Reply
Mobile Nations
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Huawei overseas expansion is gone case. Domestically i doubt Huawei can retain their market share with chink OS as other smartphones running Android OS are still present. That why Samseng stock up up up! Google not be feeling full brunt of lost sales.
Google want to negotiate market access to China for long time but no leverage. Just nice Trumpet make a move so google execs are blameless.
The internet is dividing, and the choice boils down to China or the West
RN
By Antony Funnell for Future Tense
Posted about 11 hours ago
PHOTO: The future bifurcation of the internet is causing alarm. (Getty: artpartner-images)
RELATED STORY: Google cuts direct business with Huawei
RELATED STORY: Google faces staff protest over plans for censored China search engine
RELATED STORY: 'I don't know Facebook or Twitter': China's Great Firewall Generation Z cut off from the West
The internet is dividing, and countries and companies will soon be forced to make a stark decision about their online futures: whether to choose the Western approach or a model shaped by the Chinese Communist Party.
Analysts warn the choice between the two very different philosophical camps won't be easy — and could have serious implications.
The growing schism comes as governments of all persuasions impose greater national restrictions on online activity, often motivated by concerns over security and crime.
Many authoritarian regimes have also been attempting to ring-fence the internet in their countries as a means of greater social and political control, inspired by the success of Beijing's Great Firewall.
In fact, Russian technologists are currently working on a system that would allow Moscow to effectively seal off their internet network from the rest of the world. The system is expected to have its first test later this year.
But it's the future bifurcation of the internet that's causing the greatest alarm.
And it helps explain why many Western countries are so suspicious of the operations of Chinese technology firm Huawei.
Why is Huawei so controversial?
The dramatic arrest in Canada of Huawei's chief financial officer for possible extradition to the US shocked many. But what exactly is Huawei and why does it seem like it's continually being targeted by foreign governments?
A growing influence
Nations like Australia operate in an online environment informed by liberal political philosophy.
Our overarching approach to the internet is based on a mix of US First Amendment jurisprudence, Silicon Valley libertarianism and a relatively light touch of national regulation.
That model arose as the international default standard because the early development of the internet, and online platforms, largely occurred in the United States.
But many developing countries are now heading in a different direction.
Independent watchdog Freedom House estimates that about 38 countries have now had their telecommunications infrastructure designed and constructed by Chinese technology firms.
Those systems favour Chinese platforms like Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, as opposed to American giants like Facebook and Google.
Economic strength and cultural clout
Mobile phone manufacturer Transsion is another example of China's technological success.
Danny Crichton, the executive editor of technology journal TechCrunch Extra Crunch, says the company is now seen as the "Apple of Africa".
"In some countries, 90 per cent of users use Transsion technology ... and that's just making it very challenging for US companies to compete," he tells RN's Future Tense.
Chinese firms are winning customers, Mr Crichton says, largely as a result of market factors, like price and quality.
But he says their growing dominance in the developing world has significant political implications.
PHOTO: China's Communist Party bans foreign tech sites and heavily monitors social media platforms. (Getty/AFP: Greg Baker)
And while companies like Huawei claim to be independent, that's not the way the Chinese Communist Party sees things.
As security analyst Ashley Feng pointed out in a recent article for the influential journal Foreign Policy: "Chinese domestic laws and administrative guidelines, as well as unspoken regulations and internal party committees, make it quite difficult to distinguish between what is private and what is state-owned."
In fact, tech giants like Baidu and Alibaba owe their considerable success in China, and elsewhere, to Chinese government bans imposed on the operation of foreign rivals.
And all Chinese social media platforms are quietly subject to heavy state surveillance, censorship and interference.
In 2017, Xi Jinping's government enacted a new National Intelligence Law that reinforced the security obligation on Chinese technology firms.
It states: "National intelligence work institutions, when carrying out intelligence work according to laws, may ask relevant institutions, organisations and citizens to provide necessary support, assistance and cooperation."
Listen to the episode
It is estimated Chinese firms have now built internet infrastructure for more than 38 countries. Future Tense takes a look the dividing internet.
So the success of Chinese technology companies in overseas markets, Mr Crichton says, presents Beijing with an international tool of power and indirect influence.
"For China's government, the closer you can align values, the more likely those countries are to work with other Chinese businesses and to support Chinese foreign policy," he says.
And that, Mr Crichton says, has implications for free speech and surveillance that stretch well beyond the borders of China.
Playing the long game online
Using Chinese-designed infrastructure and platforms also makes it easier for those political leaders leaning toward authoritarianism to enact greater social control, says Suzanne Nossel, the chief executive of PEN America, a leading human rights and freedom of expression organisation.
"China has its idea of cyber sovereignty, which is really a challenge to the global conception of internet freedom enshrined in UN resolutions and derived from the basic protections for freedom of expression in instruments like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," she says.
"China doesn't subscribe to that.
"They are putting forward an alternative vision where each country can impose its own rules and obligations. For them that offers an extension of state control."
A digital turning point
Justin Sherman, a cybersecurity researcher at the New America think tank in Washington, has mapped internet governance characteristics in 193 countries, ranging from those that have high state control to those at the liberal end of the spectrum.
He's identified 50 nations as "digital deciders" — countries that are yet to make up their mind about whether to adopt an open model of the internet, or an authoritarian version.
"They really have not yet taken a clear stance on the internet," Mr Sherman says.
PHOTO: The fracturing of the internet also has serious ramifications for citizens. (Getty: Dong Wenjie)
He gives two reasons for why that might be the case.
Firstly, because the internet infrastructure in some countries is so underdeveloped that the country hasn't yet established cyber policy.
And secondly, because some governments haven't clearly aligned with either model.
"Some of the things they're doing might to be democratic in nature, other things they are doing might be authoritarian in nature," Mr Sherman says.
The digital deciders, according to Mr Sherman, include quite sizable and influential nations like South Africa and Indonesia.
Mr Sherman says the essential conundrum for the digital deciders is working out how to balance the economic benefits that come from an open internet, with the social control offered by Beijing's authoritarian model.
But he fears the latter may win the day.
"The pivotal question going forward is can democratic countries come up with a model of the internet that has some appropriate balance of threat filtering with civil liberties and making sure we are not abusing power or entertaining authoritarian practices online," he says.
Project Dragonfly and the lure of mass-market access
The fracturing of the internet also has serious ramifications for companies, including those large technology firms that have long embraced — and in many cases embodied — the US-style internet.
China is now the second biggest economy in the world. It also has the most internet users of any nation.
Access to that huge online market is highly prized by many Western firms.
Google shut down its Chinese search engine in 2010, citing concerns about internet censorship and the potential for government interference.
At the time, the decision seemed in line with the company's original motto: "Don't be evil."
But last year, there were staff protests and international criticism after it was revealed that Google's management were exploring a potential return to China, as part of a secretive project called Dragonfly.
"There was a team of engineers and product people and marketers focused on how Google could launch a new version of a censored internet search engine that could pass muster in China," Ms Nossel says.
Listen to the podcast
Future Tense explores new ideas and new technologies.
And that, she says, included holding discussions with the Chinese government about what such a return would entail.
"Google's leadership says the project has been halted. But there remains a kind of shroud of secrecy around Google's approach to China," she says.
This week's decision by Google, Intel and Qualcomm to partially suspend business operations with Huawei shows just how much political pressure is also being applied from Washington.
The Trump administration maintains Huawei is a national security risk.
Some accuse the US Government of using internet and telecommunications access as a proxy in its growing trade stoush with China, while others are talking of a tech Cold War.
Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei, was defiant this week, declaring Chinese technology would dominate the future, with or without the cooperation of US tech companies.
"In terms of 5G technologies, others won't be able to catch up with Huawei in two or three years. We have sacrificed ourselves and our families for our ideal, to stand on top of the world."
But Ms Nossel warns Beijing's mechanisms for control and censorship are so "all-encompassing" and entrenched, that any Western technology company trying to access the Chinese market will inevitably find itself having to make a choice: between upholding values of free-expression or becoming a cog in the apparatus of censorship
RN
By Antony Funnell for Future Tense
Posted about 11 hours ago
PHOTO: The future bifurcation of the internet is causing alarm. (Getty: artpartner-images)RELATED STORY: Google cuts direct business with Huawei
RELATED STORY: Google faces staff protest over plans for censored China search engine
RELATED STORY: 'I don't know Facebook or Twitter': China's Great Firewall Generation Z cut off from the West
The internet is dividing, and countries and companies will soon be forced to make a stark decision about their online futures: whether to choose the Western approach or a model shaped by the Chinese Communist Party.
Analysts warn the choice between the two very different philosophical camps won't be easy — and could have serious implications.
The growing schism comes as governments of all persuasions impose greater national restrictions on online activity, often motivated by concerns over security and crime.
Many authoritarian regimes have also been attempting to ring-fence the internet in their countries as a means of greater social and political control, inspired by the success of Beijing's Great Firewall.
In fact, Russian technologists are currently working on a system that would allow Moscow to effectively seal off their internet network from the rest of the world. The system is expected to have its first test later this year.
But it's the future bifurcation of the internet that's causing the greatest alarm.
And it helps explain why many Western countries are so suspicious of the operations of Chinese technology firm Huawei.
Why is Huawei so controversial?
The dramatic arrest in Canada of Huawei's chief financial officer for possible extradition to the US shocked many. But what exactly is Huawei and why does it seem like it's continually being targeted by foreign governments?
A growing influence
Nations like Australia operate in an online environment informed by liberal political philosophy.
Our overarching approach to the internet is based on a mix of US First Amendment jurisprudence, Silicon Valley libertarianism and a relatively light touch of national regulation.
That model arose as the international default standard because the early development of the internet, and online platforms, largely occurred in the United States.
But many developing countries are now heading in a different direction.
Independent watchdog Freedom House estimates that about 38 countries have now had their telecommunications infrastructure designed and constructed by Chinese technology firms.
Those systems favour Chinese platforms like Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, as opposed to American giants like Facebook and Google.
Economic strength and cultural clout
Mobile phone manufacturer Transsion is another example of China's technological success.
Danny Crichton, the executive editor of technology journal TechCrunch Extra Crunch, says the company is now seen as the "Apple of Africa".
"In some countries, 90 per cent of users use Transsion technology ... and that's just making it very challenging for US companies to compete," he tells RN's Future Tense.
Chinese firms are winning customers, Mr Crichton says, largely as a result of market factors, like price and quality.
But he says their growing dominance in the developing world has significant political implications.
"You're not just buying a technology, you're buying cultural values, an approach to doing the telecommunications infrastructure."
PHOTO: China's Communist Party bans foreign tech sites and heavily monitors social media platforms. (Getty/AFP: Greg Baker)And while companies like Huawei claim to be independent, that's not the way the Chinese Communist Party sees things.
As security analyst Ashley Feng pointed out in a recent article for the influential journal Foreign Policy: "Chinese domestic laws and administrative guidelines, as well as unspoken regulations and internal party committees, make it quite difficult to distinguish between what is private and what is state-owned."
In fact, tech giants like Baidu and Alibaba owe their considerable success in China, and elsewhere, to Chinese government bans imposed on the operation of foreign rivals.
And all Chinese social media platforms are quietly subject to heavy state surveillance, censorship and interference.
In 2017, Xi Jinping's government enacted a new National Intelligence Law that reinforced the security obligation on Chinese technology firms.
It states: "National intelligence work institutions, when carrying out intelligence work according to laws, may ask relevant institutions, organisations and citizens to provide necessary support, assistance and cooperation."
Listen to the episode
It is estimated Chinese firms have now built internet infrastructure for more than 38 countries. Future Tense takes a look the dividing internet.
So the success of Chinese technology companies in overseas markets, Mr Crichton says, presents Beijing with an international tool of power and indirect influence.
"For China's government, the closer you can align values, the more likely those countries are to work with other Chinese businesses and to support Chinese foreign policy," he says.
And that, Mr Crichton says, has implications for free speech and surveillance that stretch well beyond the borders of China.
Playing the long game online
Using Chinese-designed infrastructure and platforms also makes it easier for those political leaders leaning toward authoritarianism to enact greater social control, says Suzanne Nossel, the chief executive of PEN America, a leading human rights and freedom of expression organisation.
"I think it's an invitation to other governments to think more broadly about how they might like to censor," she says.
Ms Nossel believes the Chinese Communist Party is playing the long game, not just in projecting its own international power, but in trying to undermine democracy and international values."China has its idea of cyber sovereignty, which is really a challenge to the global conception of internet freedom enshrined in UN resolutions and derived from the basic protections for freedom of expression in instruments like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," she says.
"China doesn't subscribe to that.
"They are putting forward an alternative vision where each country can impose its own rules and obligations. For them that offers an extension of state control."
A digital turning point
Justin Sherman, a cybersecurity researcher at the New America think tank in Washington, has mapped internet governance characteristics in 193 countries, ranging from those that have high state control to those at the liberal end of the spectrum.
He's identified 50 nations as "digital deciders" — countries that are yet to make up their mind about whether to adopt an open model of the internet, or an authoritarian version.
"They really have not yet taken a clear stance on the internet," Mr Sherman says.
PHOTO: The fracturing of the internet also has serious ramifications for citizens. (Getty: Dong Wenjie)He gives two reasons for why that might be the case.
Firstly, because the internet infrastructure in some countries is so underdeveloped that the country hasn't yet established cyber policy.
And secondly, because some governments haven't clearly aligned with either model.
"Some of the things they're doing might to be democratic in nature, other things they are doing might be authoritarian in nature," Mr Sherman says.
The digital deciders, according to Mr Sherman, include quite sizable and influential nations like South Africa and Indonesia.
Mr Sherman says the essential conundrum for the digital deciders is working out how to balance the economic benefits that come from an open internet, with the social control offered by Beijing's authoritarian model.
But he fears the latter may win the day.
"The pivotal question going forward is can democratic countries come up with a model of the internet that has some appropriate balance of threat filtering with civil liberties and making sure we are not abusing power or entertaining authoritarian practices online," he says.
Project Dragonfly and the lure of mass-market access
The fracturing of the internet also has serious ramifications for companies, including those large technology firms that have long embraced — and in many cases embodied — the US-style internet.
China is now the second biggest economy in the world. It also has the most internet users of any nation.
Access to that huge online market is highly prized by many Western firms.
Google shut down its Chinese search engine in 2010, citing concerns about internet censorship and the potential for government interference.
At the time, the decision seemed in line with the company's original motto: "Don't be evil."
But last year, there were staff protests and international criticism after it was revealed that Google's management were exploring a potential return to China, as part of a secretive project called Dragonfly.
"There was a team of engineers and product people and marketers focused on how Google could launch a new version of a censored internet search engine that could pass muster in China," Ms Nossel says.
Listen to the podcast
Future Tense explores new ideas and new technologies.
And that, she says, included holding discussions with the Chinese government about what such a return would entail.
"Google's leadership says the project has been halted. But there remains a kind of shroud of secrecy around Google's approach to China," she says.
This week's decision by Google, Intel and Qualcomm to partially suspend business operations with Huawei shows just how much political pressure is also being applied from Washington.
The Trump administration maintains Huawei is a national security risk.
Some accuse the US Government of using internet and telecommunications access as a proxy in its growing trade stoush with China, while others are talking of a tech Cold War.
Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei, was defiant this week, declaring Chinese technology would dominate the future, with or without the cooperation of US tech companies.
"In terms of 5G technologies, others won't be able to catch up with Huawei in two or three years. We have sacrificed ourselves and our families for our ideal, to stand on top of the world."
But Ms Nossel warns Beijing's mechanisms for control and censorship are so "all-encompassing" and entrenched, that any Western technology company trying to access the Chinese market will inevitably find itself having to make a choice: between upholding values of free-expression or becoming a cog in the apparatus of censorship
Time to buy the P30 Pro
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