Our own operating system could be ready this year

Huawei could have its own operating system for smartphones and laptops ready to be used in China by the fall of this year, told CNBC the head of the consumer division of the company.

He nevertheless pointed out that this would only happen if the company was completely prevented from using the Google and Microsoft software.

The Chinese tech giant was placed on a blacklist in the United States that required US companies to obtain government approval before selling anything to Huawei. This meant that Huawei would no longer be able to acquire a license for the version of Google's Android operating system, which complements all the services of the American company.

However, Washington has granted Huawei a temporary 90-day reprieve, which will allow it to continue to use US technology for the time being.

Huawei said in the past that he had his own operating system that was waiting behind the scenes so he had to be permanently blocked by Google and Microsoft software. One of the company's top executives told CNBC that the operating system could be ready for the fourth quarter of this year, with a version for its non-China markets available at either the first or second quarter of 2020.

"Today, Huawei, we are still attached to Microsoft Windows and Google Android, but if we can not use it, Huawei will prepare Plan B to use our own operating system," he said. Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei's consumer business, told CNBC on Thursday.

If Huawei is not allowed to use Android, this could be detrimental as the phones will not have the Google Play Store where consumers will be able to download apps. Instead, users would need to find other ways to install their favorite apps.

However, Yu said that the Huawei app store, called Application Gallery, would be available on its own operating system. The App Gallery is currently installed on Huawei devices, but the Google Play Store is often the default app store for consumers.

The Huawei executive pointed out that Huawei's operating system would only be deployed if the company was permanently barred from using Google or Microsoft products.

"We do not want to do that, but we will be forced to do it because of the US government, and I think the US, that kind of thing, will be not only bad news for us, but bad news for American companies as well. because we support American companies, we will have to do it ourselves, "Yu said." We do not want to do that, but we have no alternative, no 39, another choice. "