For about a year and a half now, Google has been running a programme geared at making it easy for the IT departments in various organizations to pick from the sea of Android smartphones and tablets out there, the ones that it approves and recommends for use in such environments.
That programme, as can be expected, has seen Google recommend devices from most of its Android partners. LG is in the mix. As is HMD Global with the Nokia brand. Huawei, its own Pixel brand… Basically, anyone from the who’s who of the Android world to brands that end consumers may not necessarily be familiar with but which are notable players in the IT infrastructure world like Honeywell to the renowned when it comes to enterprise security like BlackBerry.
Now, thanks to whatever happened to Huawei in May, the Chinese company’s devices were silently dropped from the Android Enterprise Recommended programme’s website as many other similar moves happened across the industry.
However, just a few months later, and (coincidentally?) days after Huawei announced what is essentially its own Android competitor, the company’s devices are back on the Android Enterprise Recommended list.
While Google normally never cares to provide explanations as to its additions or removals to the programme, only officially stating that it recognizes devices that meet its well-detailed set criteria, it could be a sign of things to come. Or, maybe, just as was the case with the climbdown on the Huawei Mate 20 Android Q beta listing, it’s just… umm, a routine update after the initial lack of direction following the quick turn of events?
Huawei’s temporary license which allows it to continue with the partnerships it had with American companies, issued after the late May blacklisting by the United States government, expires next week. Even though Huawei has committed to sticking with Android, its new operating system, by the company’s own admission, remains ready for deployment any time should such a need arise and this must be causing so many wheels to spin in its favour.
