What's Google-free life like on Huawei phones?

For people who want to buy a new Huawei phone, the lack of Google apps is a huge deterrent. What are the apps available now, and are they good enough for the average user?

Left: A visitor checking out the Huawei Mate X2 at a booth during the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai in February. The Chinese company has said that it has expanded the number of apps that work with its devices, with more than 120,000 as at the end
A visitor checking out the Huawei Mate X2 at a booth during the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai in February. The Chinese company has said that it has expanded the number of apps that work with its devices, with more than 120,000 as at the end of last year, up from more than 50,000 at the start of last year. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Left: A visitor checking out the Huawei Mate X2 at a booth during the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai in February. The Chinese company has said that it has expanded the number of apps that work with its devices, with more than 120,000 as at the end
After the US government barred companies in the country from working with Huawei in 2019, popular Google apps such as Gmail, Maps, YouTube and even the Play Store could no longer be bundled with new Huawei smartphones. PHOTO: REUTERS
Paul Mah
Updated
Apr 20, 2021, 05:00 AM
Published
Apr 20, 2021, 05:00 AM
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When the United States government barred companies in the country from working with Chinese phone maker Huawei in 2019, this included search giant Google.

This meant that popular Google apps such as Gmail, Maps, YouTube and even the Play Store could no longer be bundled with new Huawei smartphones.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 20, 2021, with the headline What's Google-free life like on Huawei phones?. Subscribe

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