Since being placed on the US Entity List in May 2019, Huawei has been unable to use Google Mobile Services (GMS) on its smartphones launched after this date.
Instead, the company launched its Mate 30 Pro and Mate Xs smartphones using an open-source version of Android which runs Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) and uses the company's AppGallery app store.
HMS is a replacement for Google Mobile Services, which runs natively on Android devices and enables the integration of the Google Play Store and various security features.
Huawei has planned to launch its upcoming P40 devices with the same HMS-based configuration, but Google is now pushing for permission to include its GMS core on Huawei's Android devices again.
Google Play and Android vice president Sameer Samat told DPA that an application had been made to resume business with Huawei, but did not mention when a decision on the application would be made by the US government.
This is not an unprecedented request, as Microsoft was granted permission to continue providing software and security products to Huawei last year, which means that new Huawei laptops are still able to use Windows and Intel technology.
Google warns against sideloading
This report of an application by Google to resume business with Huawei follows after a recent statement by Google warning users not to sideload apps onto Huawei smartphones.
"Google is prohibited from working with Huawei on new device models or providing Google's apps including Gmail, Maps, YouTube, the Play Store and others for preload or download on these devices," the company said.
"We have continued to work with Huawei, in compliance with government regulations, to provide security updates and updates to Google's apps and services on existing devices, and we will continue to do so as long as it is permitted."
"Due to government restrictions, Google's apps and services are not available for preload or sideload on new Huawei devices," Google said.
If Google were to be granted permission from the US government to continue working with Huawei, its Mate 30 Pro, Mate X, Mate Xs, and upcoming P40 smartphones could revert to GMS-powered Android and would once again come pre-loaded with YouTube, Chrome, Gmail, and the Play Store.
