US-China high voltage: Huawei has a plan b: alternative operating system to Google

2019-09-19T15:05:39.977Z

The day after Google's turn, Huawei raises the challenge to the Silicon Valley giant and the White House, saying that it is determined to react and transform what is considered a "betrayal" into an opportunity for growth. The Shenzhen house is in fact ready to pull out of the drawer the plan B which for a long time works with foresight, at least since 2012: that of an operating system all its own, alternative to Android. And it matters little if the US administration in the last hours has made a partial reverse, granting a truce of 90 days, until August 19, to permanently block the supply of goods and services to the Chinese giant. "The United States underestimates our abilities", is the warning launched by the founder of Huawei, Ren Zhengfei, assuring how "the company is able to continue to supply products and services" and how "US sanctions will not damage the core business business ". Words that portend an immediate acceleration of the ambitious project that could turn into a boomerang not only for Google but also for Apple. In fact, both would see a competing operating system landing on the market that could potentially undermine the dominant position on the world scale of Androide ios. The Chinese giant already has the name of its future creature: Hongmeng. The real challenge will be to convince developers and users to switch from the most popular platforms to date. In his effort, Huawei has the top officials behind it, with President Xi Jinping sending an unequivocal message to the US: "China is ready to undertake a new Long March, once again", the threatening warning with which it reacted to the escalation of tensions over duties and the Huawei case. Words that the experts interpret as a clear signal of Beijing's intention not to give up an inch in the confrontation with Washington, still casting shadows on the possibility of an agreement, starting from the hoped-for commercial pax. Meanwhile, based on the license granted by the US Department of Commerce, whose duration could be extended, Huawei will be able to continue to buy products and services made in the USA to keep the smartphones already on the market operational, and existing networks and equipment, including updates. software and security patches. The license does not concern the purchase of US components intended for the creation of new products. In the meantime, the markets show an inclination to believe in an easing of tensions, with the main financial centers, from Europe to Wall Street, which bounce back thanks to the resumption of technological stocks. But a cry of alarm comes from sportswear giants such as Nike and Adidas, which in a letter signed by 173 companies and sent to President Trump talk about "catastrophic effects" of duties imposed on sneakers produced in China. Catastrophic effects "for consumers, for companies and for the American economy", they write, underlining an inevitable increase in prices. This is why the big names in the sector, on behalf of the millions of consumers and the hundreds of thousands of employees, invite the White House to reconsider the measures taken.