HUAWEI thinks it can still be number one without Google services

Huawei has endured a rather torrid 2019, owing to the US trade ban against it. This means new HUAWEI models can’t be equipped with Google services.

Despite this significant constraint, HUAWEI founder Ren Zhengfei remains bullish about the manufacturer’s future.

“I don’t think that would be a problem, but it just takes time,” Ren told CNN when asked if HUAWEI could still be the number one brand without Google’s support. “When I say it takes time, what I’m referring to is the overseas market, because we will return to the overseas market next year, and the year after that.”

Ren told the outlet that Google hasn’t been denied a license from the US Commerce Department to deal with HUAWEI, nor has it received one yet. This comes a week after Microsoft gained a license from the US government to export “mass market” software to HUAWEI.

But the HUAWEI founder reiterated that the company was working on a “very large scale” backup plan (presumably referring to its Harmony OS project) if Google doesn’t receive a license. Then again, HUAWEI’s current AppGallery ecosystem lacks loads of essential apps, so fingers crossed that a completely in-house approach is a last resort.

Despite the trade ban against HUAWEI, the company delivered a 24.4% year-on-year increase in revenue in the first three quarters of the year. The firm also announced a 26% year-on-year increase in smartphone shipments for the first three quarters of 2019.

The company didn’t detail its actual Q3 performance though, while the Mate 30 series hasn’t been launched (or received a limited release) in many Western countries. So all eyes will be on the firm’s Q4 results for a better idea of how the trade ban affected HUAWEI.

Do you think the company can grab the number one spot without Google? Give us your thoughts below.