Huawei Launching Rival to Google Maps

Last year the Trump Administration effectively blacklisted the Chinese telecom Huawei, a move that meant American companies like Google could no longer do business with the carrier. Huawei was added to the Department of Commerce “entities list” last May for activities “contrary to the U.S. national interest.” These including financial dealings with Iran and accusations that its phones have “backdoors” that could facilitate espionage by the Chinese government.

As a result, the telecom is cut off from offering Google products in new phones, including notably Google Maps.

Hence Huawei’s just-announced deal with Dutch-based TomTom, a mapping data provider most associated with car navigation. It’s a signal that Huawei is going to declare independence from Google and build its own mobile ecosystem. In addition to its efforts to gain mapping independence, Huawei is developing its own mobile operating system called Harmony OS.

Much of the media coverage of this deal noted that TomTom is an interesting choice, given its involvement as a data provider during the disastrous Apple Maps launch, from which Apple has largely recovered. While associated with the debacle, TomTom is not generally blamed for it.

The TomTom deal is a potential lifesaver for Huawei, which knows it’s not enough to let its users download mapping apps. A mobile carrier must have a competitive native mapping application. It also means, but dint of the U.S. sanctions, that Google has a new rival in both mobile mapping and OS.

Whether these developments have Google quaking in its boots is unclear. Huawei is a very large player, scandals notwithstanding. In 2018, the company generated $105 billion in revenues. By the end of 2018, it has sold a cumulative 200 million smartphones.

And even if Huawei’s newfound independence from Google was a choice thrust upon it, the fact remains that there is a new mobile OS and mapping player on the world stage.

It’s unclear how soon Huawei will launch its new mapping solution. While the relationship with TomTom was just announced, it apparently has been in place for some time, suggesting the telecom has a running start on developing the new mapping solution. However, if Huawei is taking any lessons from the Apple experience, it will take the time necessary to get it right.

It will be interesting to see if Huawei pushes to launch its new maps solution for its new phone release in the spring, or if it plays it safe and takes more time to make sure it gets it right.

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