Google won't put its apps back on Huawei phones, but you can do it yourself

Sideloading Google services could be a solution for die-hard Huawei fans, but it’s not for everyone

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Huawei usually launches its flagship Mate smartphone in September, but the company has reportedly contemplated delaying sales in Europe. (Picture: Li Muzi/Xinhua)

Published: 5:55pm, 10 Oct 2019Updated: 6:16pm, 19 Jun 2020

Huawei is set to launch its latest phone, the Mate 30, in Germany later this month. There are a lot of questions about the device, like what apps will ship on the flagship phone -- but we know which apps definitely won't.

Last week, a Google spokesperson told Reuters that the Mate 30 could not be sold with licensed Google apps and services because of the US ban on sales to Huawei. That’s despite the US government’s temporary reprieve allowing it to buy components from US companies. For users, this means no Play Store, no YouTube, no Gmail and no Google Maps -- apps that have become an indispensable part of many users’ daily lives.

But there is a way for users to get their precious Google apps loaded on their shiny new Mate 30s. It’s called sideloading, and people have been doing it since the dawn of apps.

What is sideloading?

Sideloading on Android simply means installing an app by transferring the installation file to your smartphone storage. This can be by USB from a computer or by downloading the APK file directly from the internet. Among other things, sideloading enables users to install apps that are not in the Play Store, including the Play Store itself.

What's the problem?

So problem solved for Huawei, right? Well… no.

Asking users to install essential apps themselves isn’t something any phone manufacturer wants to do. Then there’s the issue of not knowing where those installation files are coming from.

Installing apps from outside official app stores and websites can be a risky move. Companies like Apple and Google vet apps to try to ensure they’re safe before they can be distributed on their platforms. Installing from other sources could get your phone infected with malware, phishing software or wreak havoc on your phone in other ways.

Another issue is whether sideloading is possible at all.