Xiaomi mocks its pal for the lack of Google apps

Apr 6, 2020 00:20 GMT  ·  By

Surviving without Android and Google apps has been Huawei’s only option for the past 11 months, so the company often turned to its domestic market for help and ideas on how to get past the United States ban.

But while Chinese phone makers have often expressed their support for Huawei, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not trying to use their rival’s trouble in an attempt to boost their sales.

This is what China-based Xiaomi is trying, as the company uses the Mi 10 Pro packaging to troll Huawei, as per a report from GizmoChina.

More specifically, Xiaomi’s new box now makes fun of Huawei’s lack of Google apps.

“Mi 10 Pro. With Easy access to the Google apps you use most,” the message on the box reads, obviously as a clear reference to Huawei’s struggle following the ban.

The Huawei ban

The United States banned Huawei from using products developed by American companies last May. According to this sanction, Huawei was no longer allowed to install Android and Google apps on its devices, and this forced the Chinese tech giant to look into a series of alternatives, including building its own similar products.

Huawei has thus invested aggressively in its very own app store, and while this project advanced well, the company recently reiterated that it’s still willing to use Google apps if the US government agrees with it.

Meanwhile, the lack of Google apps is obviously concerning for some potential customers, especially in international markets where Google’s services are particularly popular.

Huawei is still hoping that the US sanctions would be lifted at some point, but at the same time, it continues to invest in alternatives that could allow it to survive without Google in the mobile market.