Huawei and TomTom have tied up to help Huawei get around a ban that was put in place by the US. Currently, no American company can do business with Huawei, resulting in loss of access to Android, Google Maps, and other Google-based services and products. Huawei will use TomTom’s technology to launch its own map-based applications and navigation software. The Chinese giant has struggled to enter the American market, though it is wildly popular in the rest of the world.
Huawei and TomTom work together to override an American ban
Huawei hasn’t had an easy time after the US banned it from doing business with American companies. This means, after the ban, it could no longer run its phones on Android, use Google Maps on its devices, and sell them in the US.
While Huawei is very popular in Asia and elsewhere, its devices cannot be sold in the US at the moment. This had begun to hurt the company’s bottom-line figures. This is one of the reasons why it has now opted to work around the ban, and eventually release its devices to the American market. A step in that direction is its decision to work with TomTom to bring traffic and navigation information to users.
The company plans to use TomTom’s technology and develop its own applications. Huawei is also actively working to launch its own operating system called HarmonyOS. HarmonyOS will power al of Huawei’s devices such as tablets, IoT gadgets, TVs and smartphones. Huawei’s App Gallery closely mirrors Google Play Store, and users have noted that they don’t miss the popular Android store even one bit.
What could be the consequences of Huawei’s tie-up with TomTom?
Currently, it is not clear how this decision will pan out. Most likely, Huawei’s ban in the US will continue to be put in place. The US and China have had major trade-related disagreements in the past, and a few days ago a pact was signed. Yet, this is not going to help Huawei, as America also believes that the Chinese company could be used for spying, causing security risks.
