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Huawei and Honor make bold Android Q update pledge in the face of U.S. ban

Andy Boxall
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Huawei P30 Pro review
Huawei P30 Pro Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Huawei has set up a website to reassure smartphone buyers about the status of Android and Android Q on its devices, and what will happen the near future, in the face of the continued U.S. trade ban. It first announced the Android Q news in a tweet, but all the relevant information can also be found on a dedicated site, along with an informative FAQ. An internal source at Huawei sister brand Honor has also confirmed to Digital Trends what will happen with Android Q on the newly announced Honor 20 Series phones.

The website reads:

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“All Huawei smartphones and tablets will continue to receive security patches and Android updates. Anyone who has already bought, or is about to buy a Huawei smartphone, can continue to access the world of apps as they have always done. All devices continue to be covered by our manufacturer’s warranty and will receive full service support.”

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Reassurances of this nature are necessary at this time, as there is considerable confusion around how the “Entity List” ban will affect already released, or Google-certified devices, going forward. Huawei continues, “Our most popular current devices, including the P30 series, will be able to access Android Q.” Huawei also confirms the Android Q beta is running on the Mate 20 Pro, a device released in 2018.

An FAQ page goes into more detail, with Huawei focusing on busting rumors and speculation. However, regarding Android Q, an FAQ answer pulls back slightly on the earlier bluster. Huawei says it’s “confident that our most popular devices including the P30 series, will be able to access Android Q.” Being confident is slightly different from being certain, but Huawei says it will update 17 recent phones to Android Q, and preparations have already begun on the process. The first wave of phones includes the Mate 10 Pro, the Mate 20 Pro, the P30 Pro, the Mate 20 X 5G, and the Porsche Design Mate RS and Mate 10.

What about Honor? An internal source told Digital Trends the Honor 20 series will get Android Q. Preparation for the update is already in progress, according to our source, who adds, “This is why Honor is selling the device confidently in the global market.” There have been concerns over the status of the Honor 20 Pro, which does not have a final release date yet, but this seems to be less of a concern following this news. It’s also good for anyone considering the Honor 20, which is set for release in the U.K. and Europe on June 21.

While the U.S. government’s ban is still in place, there is a temporary reprieve until August 21, which seems to have given Huawei and Google time to work on the Android Q update for the company’s most important devices. While the long-term future is still uncertain, the near-term situation is looking far more positive for both existing and prospective Huawei phone owners, regarding software updates and support.

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Andy Boxall
Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
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