Google v Huawei hits millions of smartphone users

Just shows you the android is not really an Open Source Project. Google has the power to cut you off whenever it wants.

That's not what open source means. 'Source' refers to the source code. Open refers to the ability for anyone to view the source code - it is public. Compare this to a closed-source system like Windows.

Android is open source. It's out there. Huawei will likely still be able to use it if they want (I'm not sure of specific licensing for Android), but they lose all Google support, which means that some parts of the system like Google Maps will not work. They can probably remove these, but then that becomes a lesser version of Android for its users.

CrazyJoe

You’re at the right station, but just left on the totally wrong train.

I wonder if China will loosen restrictions to internet access so that Google has more freedom to search in the country

It’s much more likely that we’ll see the opposite - a bifurcation of the Internet into a Chinese Internet and a rest of the world Internet.

Anyone can fork the Android project and as long as they follow the license and use it. That license is highly business friendly. It isn't like the GPL used by Linux which is harder for businesses to use.

https://source.android.com/setup/start/licenses says that it is based on the Apache license, which is very commercial friendly like the BSD (which is what Roku, iOS and OSX use) and the MIT licenses. Basically, you can do anything with the code that you like as long as you give credit to the the people who came before. That is usually just a text file on the system, somewhere.

If you are a company, it also means that Google can't hold you hostage for any non-proprietary code. There are about 20 alternate Android projects which are used across many different devices, including Huawei.

I wonder if China will loosen restrictions to internet access so that Google has more freedom to search in the country, thus opening up the road for Google to rethink their policy on restriction of services and technology to Huawei? This is going to hurt people and companies, big time, if they actually go through with it. Could Trump be squeezing Google’s sensitive parts? The truth is out there (though likely all we will ever be able to do is speculate and postulate a bazillion conspiracy theories).

zichi - I think it is part of the trade war, but just happened to be good timing to hold the Chinese govt accountable for their lack of IP protections the last 20 yrs. Huawei happened to be caught multiple times. So was ZTE and Trump shouldn't have stopped the ZTE embargo.

Huawei will have a tough time without access to leading CPUs and mobile chips. Qualcomm, Intel, AMD are all US companies. It will take yrs, minimum for internal Chinese makers to steal/create the plans for similar CPUs.

How can it 'server ties' if android is open source and secondly both companies are the world's number one stalker data extraction services.. None are trustworthy with users data anyhow.

China bans most apps in side China for its own reasons so why can't the US do it as well?

China has given its self a bad name for stealing and spying, they need to earn their trust! OK no country is perfect in this area but .... China would never allow an American company run their internet network and now the mess has snow balled. China was spent months in talks with the US only to go back on the agreements at the last moment. This seems to have made Trump play hardball

Yes, China should make their own OS then they wouldnt have this problem

Do I believe Huawei poses a national security threat to US? Hell no, they don't even sell most of their phones here.

And they probably will never, but that doesn’t mean China is less of a threat.

ARM CPU licenses won't be available to Huawei either: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-48363772

Huawei doesn't just make cell phones. They make everything related to networking, computers, tablets, phones ...

It is their network routers, firewalls, switching devices that concern the USA most.

Phones are just personal tracking devices, which all have the same issues - Apple or Huawei or Samsung or SONY or whoever. They can all be abused.

No ARM CPUs, No AMD, No Intel = screwed.

And today the SD Association dropped Huawei, so they can't legally use licensed microSD/SD storage.

No storage.

No CPUs.

Guess this could be good for their "Serverless Computing" efforts. BTW, that is a real term, but it doesn't mean what most people think.

It's not about phones, It's about 5G dominance, China has the lead, it's obvious.

How can it 'server ties' if android is open source

Because the source is still open, but Google has severed ties with Huawei. Huawei can still use the software - but they will not receive any support for it from Google.

both companies are the world's number one stalker data extraction services.. None are trustworthy with users data anyhow.

The difference being that Huawei, as with all Chinese companies, are not independent of the state. The state has members working in all companies to ensure compliance and obedience to the state. Huawei itself is run by an ex-Chinese military member.

Google on the other hand, while having their own privacy issues at times, is independent of the state.

Just shows you the android is not really an Open Source Project. Google has the power to cut you off whenever it wants.

Do I believe Huawei poses a national security threat to US? Hell no, they don't even sell most of their phones here.

Its a blatant move to cut US consumers off cheaper product before it reaches the shore in mass.

You ever wonder why iPhone, Samsung, LG can charge 1000+ on a phone that costs 300 each? You have your answer right here.