Google and Android system start to cut ties with Huawei

SAN FRANCISCO: US internet giant Google, whose Android mobile operating system powers most of the world’s smartphones, said it was beginning to cut ties with China’s Huawei, which Washington considers a national security threat.

The move could have dramatic implications for Huawei smartphone users, as the telecoms giant will no longer have access to Google’s proprietary services — which include the Gmail and Google Maps apps — a source close to the matter told AFP.

Reports also emerged Monday that several US chipmakers providing vital hardware for Huawei’s smartphones have stopped supplying the Chinese firm.