Huawei needs Google more than Google needs Huawei

It takes more than ambition and an aggressive approach to make money selling phones in the West. You need the right services and software.

Huawei makes some incredible phones. My somewhat limited exposure to the brand as a U.S. resident reinforces what everyone who has one tells me: they are one of the best phones you can buy. When any brand gets this kind of praise, it has to be pretty darn good products.

Unfortunately, because of other equipment Huawei makes, namely telecom gear and 5G base stations, the company has come under fire from the U.S government and now Huawei is unable to share or buy any technology from another company that does business in the United States. That means none of the closed source bits in Android that power Google's services.

More: Huawei Mate 30 Pro review: The best phone you shouldn't buy

This led Huawei, who has giant pockets filled with money, to strike out on its own and make its own services framework and app distribution model. The Mate 30 Pro was the first Android flagship phone from the company that shipped without Google services, and it sold well in China. But of course, it tanked everywhere else once it was released to a broader audience.

That's because people need or want Google's services more than they need or want a Huawei phone. Android flagship phones are all so good that the idea of buying one without Google Maps or Google Photos or any of Google's other services seems silly. Especially when flagship phones are all priced so high.

Would you buy a phone without access to the Gmail app when plenty of others are equally good and do have it?

In other words, Huawei needs Google More than Google needs Huawei. That means when Huawei's Austrian manager Fred Wangfei said that the company does not have any plans to go back to using Google's services, even if the U.S. government decides to lift the trade ban it was a ridiculous statement; one which has now been walked back by Huawei itself:

An open Android ecosystem is still our first choice, but if we are not able to continue to use it, we have the ability to develop our own.

This tempered response makes more sense, and Huawei should be working on its own solution. The company is capable of creating its own services framework that developers can use to build a rich app ecosystem. Too bad that isn't going to happen because developers do what they do to make money. It's their day job in most cases and spending time to build yet another version of the same app for a phone that isn't going to sell well in western markets doesn't sound very profitable.

People rely on Google services even if they don't like to do it. Almost everyone uses Gmail — which includes Google Calendar and Google Drive — or Google search. That's because they are great products, and getting a customer to switch to a Huawei equivalent isn't going to be easy. People love and hate Google at the same time.

Google does need Huawei as a strong partner. Just not as bad as Huawei needs Google.

This is not to say Google doesn't need Huawei. The two are very close partners in a lot of ways and I'm sure Google loves the idea of having any phone maker challenge Samsung for brand dominance lest Samsung decides to play hardball. No software company wants to rely on just one OEM to distribute its platform and even Microsoft has realized that hooking up with Google is a good idea.

I certainly hope the U.S. government and Huawei can come to some sort of agreement that allows phones to use Google's software and be sold through regular channels in the states. But if that never happens, Huawei isn't going to ever live up to the potential it has just a year ago and become the biggest Android phone seller.

All I want is to be able to buy a Mate 30 Pro and have everything just work.

That's a shame, really. Having Huawei and Samsung duke it out to get to the top and stay there means better products with great ideas for the rest of us. But no matter what happens, Huawei phones are never going to sell in the West without Google in them.

Get More P30 Pro

Huawei P30 Pro

$900 at eBay £899 at Amazon UK $1200 CAD at Huawei

• Huawei P30 Pro Review
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• Best Screen Protectors for Huawei P30 Pro
• Best Heavy Duty Cases for Huawei P30 Pro

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Boost your productivity with these 5 reading apps, on sale now

If you want to be more successful at work and happier in your personal life, learning how to read quickly and efficiently is an absolute must. From powering through reports at the office to tackling that digital stack of books on your iPad, learning how to be a fast reader is a skill that has to be developed over time, and these five apps and tools will help you get there faster so you can be more productive in 2020.

1. Reader Mode Pro: Chrome Reading Extension

MSRP: $25 | Sale Price: $10 (60% off)

This Chrome extension will help you read more effectively by eliminating all of that obnoxious clutter that can pop up on your browser. You'll be able to read without those disruptive images, links, and other distractions that are often placed between text on countless sites. Plus, several other tools will help you stay organized online as well—including text annotation, highlighting, text-to-speech conversion, and more.

2. 12min Micro Book Library: Lifetime Premium Subscription

MSRP: $347 | Sale Price: $39 (88% off)

If you can't carve out more time to read, it's time to get smarter about what you're reading. With 12min, you can power through important books on a variety of interesting topics with concise, 12-minute breakdowns. Every month, you'll receive 30 new titles, and it's easy to search for what you're looking for based on author, genre, and more. You'll also be able to download your 12-minute breakdowns, so you can listen on the go.

3. Readitfor.me Standard Plan Memberships

MSRP: $840 | Sale Price: $100 (88% off)

Outpace the competition in the business world with this leading book summary service, which keeps the most important elements of a variety of business-based books while eliminating the less important parts so you can digest them faster. Your membership comes with unlimited access to a massive collection of over 300 high-quality summaries, and new ones are added every year.

4. ZapReader Speed-Reading: Lifetime Subscription

MSRP: $499 | Sale Price: $40 (91% off)

This simple tool will help you read faster by teaching you how to harness the techniques of the world's best speed-readers. You'll be coached by speed-reading pros who have years of experience with several different methodologies, and several in-app coaching tools will help you remove bad reading habits automatically—regardless of whether you're reading online or in print.

5. BookNotes Book Summaries: Lifetime Subscription

MSRP: $300 | Sale Price: $29 (90% off)

If you're one of the countless busy people who feel as though you just don't have enough time to read, check out this digital library that delivers key insights from over 1,000 best-selling books in just 15 minutes. You'll be able to read from a single account on all of your devices, and the topics range from finance and career to happiness, health, productivity and beyond.

Prices are subject to change.

 

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Delta drops limited-time offer for businesses to earn 100,000 bonus points

Heads up! We share savvy shopping and personal finance tips to put extra cash in your wallet. Android Central may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network. Please note that the offers mentioned below are subject to change at any time and some may no longer be available.

Grab up to 100,000 bonus miles with Delta's new offer.

What you need to know

• Delta has launched a new welcome offer for its business credit cards.
• New cardholders can earn up to 100,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles.
• All three offers are only available for a limited time until April 1, 2020.

For businesses that frequent Delta airlines for all of their business's travel needs, the airline has just launched three new welcome bonuses for its line of business credit cards.

The offers span across three Delta business credit cards and introductory bonuses range from 70,000 bonus miles all the way up to 100,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles. Here is a quick breakdown of each card sporting a welcome bonus and the current offer:

• Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: 70,000 bonus miles
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: 100,000 bonus miles
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card: 100,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles

Delta has a business credit card to fit any kind of business with any kind of rewards you may be looking for. Earn a flight credit every year. Always check your first bag for free and get priority boarding. Enjoy complimentary Delta Sky Club® access and complimentary access to The Centurion Lounge. Never pay foreign transaction fees when you are traveling aboard. These are just some of the perks that come with Delta's business credit cards.

All of these business offers expire on April 1st, 2020, so if you have been waiting to pick up a business card for your Delta flights now is the time to do it.

Gold for you

Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card

See at The Points Guy

Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 70,000 bonus miles. Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary of Card Membership. Additionally, take $100 off your next Delta flight – after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you will earn a $100 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel. Earn 2 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta, on every dollar spent on U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, on every dollar spent on eligible U.S. shipping purchases, on every dollar spent on dining at restaurants. Earn 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases. Check or stow your bag with ease: First Checked Bag Free + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding. Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel overseas. $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.

Platinum record

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card

See at The Points Guy

Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles. Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in the first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary of Card Membership (Offer expires 4/1/20). Earn 3 Miles on every dollar spend on eligible purchases made directly with Delta and on every eligible dollar spent on purchases made directly with hotels. Status-like benefits: First Check Bag Free on Delta flights + Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding. Earn 1.5 miles per dollar on single eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (that's an extra half point per dollar), up to 50,000 additional miles per year. 1 Mile on every eligible dollar spent on other purchases. Get closer to status with Status Boost™. Spend $25,000 in purchases on the Card in a calendar year and earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles® (MQMs); spend a total of $50,000 in eligible purchases on the Card in a calendar year and earn an additional 10,000 MQMs. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn toward flights. $250 annual fee.

Reserved

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

See at The Points Guy

Limited Time Offer: Earn up to 100,000 bonus miles and 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs). Earn 80,000 bonus miles and 20,000 MQMs after you spend $5,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Plus, earn an additional 20,000 bonus miles after your first anniversary of Card Membership. With Status Boost™, earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases on your new Card in a calendar year, up to four times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion Status and are different from the miles you earn toward flights. Complimentary Delta Sky Club® Access and complimentary access to The Centurion Lounge when flying on a same-day Delta-marketed or Delta-operated flight. The eligible flight must be booked on a U.S. issued American Express Credit Card. After you spend $150,000 on your Card in a calendar year, you earn 1.5 Miles per dollar (that's an extra half mile per dollar) on eligible purchases the rest of the year. Eligible purchases after spending $150,000 do not include Delta purchases. Pay no foreign transaction fees when you spend overseas. Earn 3 Miles on every dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. $550 annual fee

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How much storage will the PlayStation 5 have?

Best answer: Nobody knows just yet. However, based on past PlayStation launches we expect to see 1TB for the basic build.

• Thousands to choose from: PlayStation Store Gift Card (From $10 at Amazon)

Hello solid-state drive

PlayStation has been keeping quite a few aspects of the PS5 hush-hush. How much storage room the PS5 will have is one such secret. What we know is that the new PS5 is being built with a solid-state drive (SSD) instead of the traditional HDD. Not only will this upgrade give us a much faster system but it also gives us a starting point to deduce how much storage the basic launch build will offer.

Looking at the previous PlayStation builds and the market price for a decent SSD, we can make a few guesses what we will see in PS5.

The PS4 and storage size

At launch the original PlayStation 4 came with the option of 500GB for the basic build or, if you had extra spending money, 1TB. This was the standard again at the launch of the PlayStation Slim in 2016. However, Sony has now discontinued not only the original PS4 but the 500GB Slim variant as well. 

The smallest storage unit now offered is 1TB for the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro. This increases up to 2TB internal storage for the Pro, which, from launch, only had these two options.

To us, this means one of two things. Either Sony is clearing the market to offer a 500GB PS5, which we think is unlikely. Option two is Sony realizing that the size of AAA games has continued to grow over the years, and knowing how the SSD will effect reading games on PS5, it'll keep in line with the PS4 Pro (its newest console) and offer a minimum storage size of 1TB.

Our guess is that it Sony is sticking with the move for improvement and we expect to see that 1TB, if not more, for the basic build option at launch. Hopefully Sony will tell us soon.

Our pick

PlayStation Store Gift Card

From $10 at Amazon

Thousands of games to choose from

PlayStation gift cards are an easy way to grab currency for games, add-ons, themes and more on the PlayStation Store. It is a great way to be sure the gamer in your life (or you) get the exact title they are looking for.

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'Moto G Stylus' hands-on images and specs have been leaked

It's powered by a Snapdragon 665.

What you need to know

• Motorola's upcoming Galaxy Note 10 Lite rival will be called the Moto G Stylus.
• Hands-on images of the phone were also leaked earlier this week.
• Under its hood is a Snapdragon 665 paired with 4GB of RAM and a mammoth 5,000mAh battery.

Earlier in the week, and thanks to Evan Blass, we learned that Motorola was planning to launch its first stylus-equipped phone since the Windows Mobile era. And it's thanks to him, again, that we now know what the phone — or possibly series of phones — will be called:

As has already been sporadically reported, this will indeed come to market as the Moto G Stylus (and NOT, ahem, the Motorola Edge+).

This also confirms the stylus-bearing phone is not the flagship that Motorola is reportedly also readying for launch this year. That becomes even more evident once we consider the purported specs of the Moto G Stylus, which 9to5Google reports include a Snapdragon 665, 4GB of RAM, and a 5,000mAh battery.

Moreover, over the past couple of days, we've even gotten a much better look at the phone, thanks to hands-on images of what is supposedly the Moto G Stylus sent to Mexican publication Xataka:

If you squint a little at the bottom right, you can see the stylus hanging out from the phone, confirming that the phone will, indeed, include housing for the pen. Whether or not it's an active stylus is unclear at the moment.

We'll likely hear more about the phone — and the Snapdragon 865-powered Motorola flagship — at MWC next month.

Motorola has officially sold 100 million Moto G phones

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FCC: 'One or more' carriers violated federal law selling location data

The question now is, what will be the punishment?

What you need to know

• The FCC has concluded its extensive investigation into US carriers and location data.
• It has determined that one or more carriers violated federal law by selling real-time data.
• Measures against those carriers are now being considered.

The FCC has found that one or more US carriers broke federal law by selling customer's real-time location data, after an extensive investigation.

As reported by The Verge, FCC chair Ajit Pai has written to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In that letter Pai stated:

I am writing to follow up on my letter of December 3, 2019 regarding the status of the FCC's investigation into the disclosure of consumers' real-time location data. Fulfilling the commitment I made in that letter, I wish to inform you that the FCC's Enforcement Bureau has completed its extensive investigation and that it has concluded that one or more wireless carriers apparently violated federal law. I am committed to ensuring that all entities subject to our jurisdiction comply with the Communications Act and the FCC's rules, including those that protect consumers' sensitive information, such as real-time location data. Accordingly, in the coming days, I intend to circulate to my fellow Commissioners for their consideration one or more Notice(s) of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture in connection with the apparent violation(s).

Now, the letter does not mention by name any US carriers that may or may not be caught up in this. However, the initial report into the story at the beginning of last year named T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T. A report by Motherboard found that they could pay a Bounty Hunter just $300 to locate a phone using data that had been sold through a supply chain of different companies. None of the carriers contacted at the time denied that they sold location data.

This investigation follows that initial report, confirming what we already knew. The question that remains now is what action will the FCC take against what seems to be a brazen violation of customer privacy and security.

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How to watch Studio Ghibli films on Netflix in the U.S., Canada, & Japan

Netflix has announced that beginning on February 1 it will begin bringing Studio Ghibli films to its service. In total, there will be 21 films that make an appearance, and they will come in three phases. The films will be made available globally through a distribution partner Wild Bunch International, though this rollout will exclude some big markets.

For those not familiar, Studio Ghibli was founded back in 1985 by the directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and the producer Toshio Suzuki. It is a Japanese animation film studio that has produced feature films, short films, TV commercials, and even worked with video game studios on visual elements for games. Six of the studio's films are among the 10 highest-grossing anime films from Japan, and the company has many other accolades. It's most successful title was Spirited Away, which made over $360 million worldwide and was voted the fourth-best film of the 21st century as picked by 177 film critics from around the world in 2016 and it won an Academy Award in 2003.

To have these movies make their way to streaming services like Netflix is huge, though this does come with some exceptions. Unfortunately, those in the U.S., Canada, and Japan won't be able to stream the films on Netflix easily because of agreements to bring the films to other services. Luckily, there are some ways around this if you're willing to put in a few minutes of your time to get it set up.

Use a VPN to watch Studio Ghibli

If you happen to live in the U.S., Canada, or Japan and want to stream the films via your Netflix subscription you can by setting up a VPN. There are a lot of VPN services out there, and one of the key features of a VPN is the ability to change the server location that you connect to. By doing this, you can make it appear like you are in a different location, and then you have access to the content you previously did not.

Our VPN of choice is ExpressVPN for several reasons. The service is super reliable, the customer support is great, the speeds are fast, it's easy to use, and it's pretty affordable compared to some of the other options. ExpressVPN is currently offering up a 49% discount and 3 months of free access when you sign up for a one-year agreement. This scores you 15 months of access for just under $100.

ExpressVPN

See latest price at ExpressVPN

The Studio Ghibli films are coming to Netflix, but they won't be available for streaming in the U.S., Canada, or Japan. ExpressVPN is the easiest way to watch the films from the unsupported regions.

Getting the VPN set up takes only a few minutes, and once you are ready you can connect to a server in one of the regions where Studio Ghibli's films are available, like Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, or Asia. With just a few clicks, you can then begin streaming the content and catch up on the 21 films as they're available.

Another option in the U.S.

Upon its launch in May, the Studio Ghibli films will also make their way over to the new HBO Max streaming service. Of course this means that you are signing up for yet another service to watch content on, but it's another option for those in the U.S..

When will the Studio Ghibli movies be available?

Not all of the movies will be available on February 1, but that's when they will begin making an appearance. There will be 21 in total that come to Netflix, and the first seven only will be available at first. Here's the current roll-out schedule:

Phase 1: February 1

• Castle in the Sky
• My Neighbor Totoro
• Kiki's Delivery Service
• Only Yesterday
• Porco Rosso
• Ocean Waves
• Tales from Earthsea

Phase 2: March 1

• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
• Princess Mononoke
• My Neighbors the Yamadas
• Spirited Away
• The Cat Returns
• The Secret World of Arrietty
• The Tale of The Princess Kaguya

Phase 3: April 1

• Pom Poko
• Whisper of the Heart
• Howl's Moving Castle
• Ponyo
• From Up on Poppy Hill
• The Wind Rises
• When Marnie Was There

Grave of the Fireflies is one of the most notable omissions here because Studio Ghibli does not actually hold the publishing rights to the film. Netflix will be subtitling the films in 28 different languages, which is more than ever existed before. If you aren't already a Netflix customer, you can sign up now so you're ready to go when the movies hit!

Netflix

See plan options at Netflix

In addition to the Studio Ghibli films, Netflix has a huge content library full of other great anime, movies, shows, and more. Sign up today.

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