Google halts plans to bar Huawei’s access to some Android services, report says

Google halted plans to bar Huawei’s access to some Android services after the U.S. Commerce Department granted Monday a 90-day license for companies and Internet providers to coordinate with the Chinese tech giant in an effort to help existing customers, a report said.

The U.S. Commerce Department said it was giving companies until Aug. 19 to work with Huawei and devise a long-term plan would keep systems running and protect current users from threats and security risks, CNBC reported Tuesday. The order, which would ease U.S. exports to the tech giant, is expected to be published on Wednesday.

Google will launch software updates and other tasks during the 90-day period.

“Keeping phones up to date and secure is in everyone’s best interests and this temporary license allows us to continue to provide software updates and security patches to existing models for the next 90 days,” a Google spokesperson told CNBC.

It’s unclear if the 90-day license would be extended.

Google announced Sunday it was severing ties with the Chinese tech company, which would cut off elements of the Android operating system from users with Huawei Android devices. Among the items include Google technical support and software such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps apps. The company is barred from Android services, except those available through an open-source license.

The decision came days after President Trump issued an order that effectively blocks Huawei from doing business in the United States. Trump administration officials have argued that Huawei’s continued access to U.S. technology poses a national security risk, given concerns about intellectual property theft and cybersecurity that have overshadowed ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and China.

“We are complying with the order and reviewing the implications,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

Huawei was among the 69 entities placed on an export blacklist.

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Huawei is the No. 2 global smartphone brand but relies on Google's Android operating system and U.S. components suppliers.

Fox Business' Tom Barrabi and The Associated Press contributed to this report.