No, HUAWEI's Android replacement OS isn't coming in June

Earlier today, a rumor originating with TechRadar suggested that the release of the so-called HUAWEI OS — the company’s replacement for Android — would launch next month. The source of this information was Alaa Elshimy, Managing Director and Vice President of HUAWEI Enterprise Business Group Middle East.

While the caliber of that source would suggest that this information is correct, Android Authority has a statement from HUAWEI explicitly stating that this is not the case.

TechRadar has since updated the headline and content of its article to reflect this new information.

According to HUAWEI, the HUAWEI OS — codenamed internally as HongMeng and better known as “Plan B” — will not launch in June. In fact, there is no set date for its reveal.

Previous rumors surrounding HongMeng strongly suggest that the operating system is not ready for release. Therefore, it was certainly surprising to hear the original rumor that the OS would launch so soon. We’re now back to believing that it will be some time — definitely months, at least — before we see HUAWEI’s attempt to replace Android.

The pressure mounting on HUAWEI to eliminate its dependence on Android stems from its current status on the Entity List issued by U.S. President Donald Trump. This effectively bars HUAWEI from working with any U.S.-based companies, which includes Google. As such, any future HUAWEI smartphones will not be able to ship with the full Android service most Western consumers depend on, which includes access to Google apps, the Google Play Store, and swift Android security updates.

HUAWEI promises that any information regarding the release of HUAWEI OS would come from official channels.

NEXT: HUAWEI and the Trump debacle: The story so far