Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 15-06-2019

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Huawei has delayed the launch of its much-anticipated foldable 5G Mate X smartphone by three months.

Reuters reports, the Mate X, a competitor to Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, is expected to be rolled out globally in September.

It was originally slated for a June launch.

The delay comes as Huawei phones face being cut off from updates of Google’s Android operating system (OS) in the wake of the US blacklist that bans American companies from doing business with the Chinese firm.

Speaking on the sidelines of the WSJ Tech D.Live conference in Hong Kong, Huawei’s head of corporate communications Vincent Pang denied the delay was due to the ban, saying Huawei was in the process of running certification tests with various carriers that were expected to be completed in August.

He also told Reuters that Huawei could roll out its Hongmeng operating system (OS) – which is being tested – within nine months.

The OS, which has reportedly been in the works for years, was named in trademark applications filed in Peru for use within nine countries and Europe (although it’s been filed under the name “Ark OS” on the continent).

However, while launching its own OS is one way Huawei could continue operations in the face of its US ban, there are concerns about such a system’s security, as software is not the company’s strongest area.