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Welcome to Ask Jerry, the place where we explore any and all queries you have about the smart devices in your life. I’m Jerry, and I’ve dedicated a significant part of my life to working with technology. My expertise lies in engineering and R&D, and for the last 15 years, I have been focused on Android and Google.
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Will Huawei ever re-enter the U.S. phone market?
Raj inquires: Huawei used to produce excellent phones prior to their ban in the United States. Is there a possibility that this ban will be lifted, and will Huawei make a comeback? Thank you.
Hello Raj, and I appreciate your fantastic question. Huawei continues to create great products even in the absence of official Android support. While the U.S. ban has financially impacted them, the company is likely to persist for quite some time since it remains very popular in China and other regions.
In short, it’s wise to never say never, but I don’t foresee the ban on Huawei being lifted anytime in the near future, especially without a significant change in what the company manufactures. The ban wasn’t about smartphones or consumer protection regarding Huawei’s products; it was fundamentally about financial interests and market “influence.”
Why was Huawei banned?
Officially, Huawei was accused of collaborating with the Chinese government and posing a security risk to the United States. Without access to all the findings and investigations, it’s impossible to ascertain the accuracy of those claims, but it is ultimately irrelevant because U.S. interests (both public and private) would have likely discovered another justification. Huawei had to exit the market, and the quicker, the better.
It pertains to those small symbols at the top of your device: 5G. In the U.S., Huawei’s smartphones weren’t superior to others in terms of 5G connectivity, but Huawei produces more than just phones. Much more.
No, I’m not referring to smartwatches or tablets. I’m talking about “heavy” networking equipment and switches essential for telecom companies. Specifically, Huawei was capable of manufacturing network gear that performed as well as any competitor while selling at a lower price. As a result, companies such as AT&T and Verizon, along with lesser-known industrial firms, began purchasing from them.
The U.S. has a unique approach to “monopoly” control within the market. Some politicians believe monopolies should never exist, while others think only favored companies should dominate a market; however, almost all agree that if one were to exist, it should not be a company from China or associated with the Chinese government.
Huawei is both, and the apprehensions about its state sponsorship before the ban may or may not have had merit, but they are now a reality. The same scenario would unfold in the U.S. if China prohibited a dominant company: the government would take all necessary measures to protect it.
You can still acquire a Huawei product in the U.S. through a reseller, but the hardware and software are unlikely to function as intended, there will be no warranty, and it could potentially not work at all. I would recommend against it.
On the topic of a return
Huawei has thrived despite its ban in the U.S. The company continues to sell a significant number of phones and other mobile devices, and it is also at the forefront of AI. For Huawei to engage in business here or with American firms without restrictions, substantial changes would be necessary.
I doubt that Huawei would be willing (or
