Would you buy a phone without Google apps/services?

By Joe Maring
published

Huawei P40 Pro
Huawei P40 Pro (Image credit: Daniel Bader / Android Central)

One of the more interesting Android phones of the year is the Huawei P40 Pro. There's a lot about the phone that's rather outstanding, such as its gorgeous display, excellent cameras, and striking design. It's honestly one of the better handsets you can buy in 2020, but it comes with a big catch — it doesn't have access to any Google apps or services.

This is a direct result of Huawei's ongoing feud with the United States, and it means that things like Gmail, YouTube, and even the Google Play Store aren't available on the phone.

Huawei's been trying to combat this with its own app store, and while it's not perfect, it has been gradually getting better as time goes on. One of our AC forum members recently pointed out that Tinder is now available on the store, which spurred the following conversation.

Not that I use it but ive just seen Tinder is now available on AppGallery on P40 phones. If that was going to change your mind about buying one! If anyone wants me to check an App that’s available for em I can, my mate said he wasn’t going to get one until he knew his daily use apps were there which they are now!

OnkenEater313

Make (tinder) Love, not (trade) war! Hehe, that's what it's all about. Great to hear, doing my research now and thinking taking the plunge with a P40 Pro, it looks sick and DxOmark seems to have crowned it king/queen again. I have a mate with P20 pro and says it's the best battery he's ever had.

xTlex

They are making their way through all the top apps by looks of things. I don't use tinder (honestly) but between AppGallery and Petal search I find all sort of apps like that. Take the plunge, be a maverick LOL.

SamRH1

So far so good, the apps been pretty good so far, though it wasn't the most difficult of apps!! I agree some people have said isn't it a pain using two stores to download apps from but I just point out google devices have this too. I mainly use petal search now as its just easier, even put a search bar on the home screen so I don't even need to launch the app

wakawaka89

All of this got us to wondering — Would you buy a phone without Google apps/services?

Join the conversation in the forums!

Joe Maring
Joe Maring

Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.

28 Comments
  • Uh, no way...Google and Apple have enough problems trying to root out suspicious apps. End users both pressure and assist Apple with this. Given what I know about China, I just don't think they will take this as seriously not to mention it's an open secret that their government has way more influence with their major companies that does ours.
  • I don't mind the Google or Apple apps. I do mind being forced to have apps I can't delete.
  • Same reason I won't touch a OnePlus phone. 110% China. Hell no.
  • You do realize that OnePlus phones have Google apps and services right? Talk about being ignorant and uninformed.
  • You totally mess read his comment. But not surprising from you.
  • You totally messpelled miss.
  • Not in a million years.
  • Assuming an Android phone, without apps yes without services no. It's trivial to download Gmail or even the play store. But without GMS to hook things into and keep everything relatively smooth and secure I won't buy the phone. Not until it's proven they have an alternative that's just as robust, least.
  • Not a chance
  • Yes, yes, yes!!! Cant wait! We need something new outside google/apple ecosys!
  • Had I known it was this difficult, I should have bought a Xiaomi phone. 😑
  • Nah, no way I luv my U-tube too much? It would be like buying a wheel with no spokes. Or a 🍕 pizza with no 🧀! Yikes....
  • I endured Windows Phone and the lack of apps but I won't go back to that. At least with WP I knew what I was and wasn't getting. The Huawei problem seems to extend beyond getting to install the app if certain services and features are broken even with the app installed. I'm not going to navigate that minefield.
  • Helps get tid of those apps no one uses from google.
  • No I wouldn't buy an Android phone without Google services... I also try to avoid Chinese phones for security reasons... Will only ever buy Nokia, Pixel, LG, Samsung or Sony phones for that reason...
  • Yes, if or when I buy an iPhone if that is considered not having google services. Maybe if an Android phone was good enough and cheap enough. I would just use the web interface for the google stuff I use like gmail or drive and apk mirror or whatever for the apps I want. I am not tied to anything Google that I can't get through a web interface.
  • I bought a tablet without Google Services once, and I wouldn't buy another Android device that doesn't have access to them. There's just too many apps that have tie-ins to Google Services, and won't work without them.
  • I have done and tbh i dont mid it. Are there some issues? Yes they are but not as big as been made out. I have a few apps that dont work but i hace work arounds for it. What will be interesting is if huawei manage to get all the big developers in its app store will others like Samsung follow?
  • No. No. No.
  • Absolutely. I'm using the P40 Pro without Google services and it's been one of the best mobile experiences I've had in a long time. people are way too dependent on Google services and letting them steal all of your information and decide how you can use your phone.
  • I totally agree.
  • Im not bothered about google storung my data as anything on the web is accessible of sometype but i hace to agree with using the p40 pro myself for close to 2 weeks. I have today put my work sim in it and installed work apps like teams ect. Ok i don't get push notifications but it works the same as my one drive outlook SharePoint and others. What I like the most is not having loads of apps installed i dont use. Chrome, Gmail ect but then also apps instaled by the 3rd party on top of that like Samsung apps ect. Its not for eveyone and never will be. For me though its a step in the right direction for amdroid. People forget android is open source and in a way Google made oems use their services. This could spark a big change in how others look at the os. If Samsung decide to go along imagine how it would look to googe but also gow quickly developers would move to the Samsung store if it was a quick switch like it is to huawei app store. It may never happen but you also never know as less licensing for others and if develoers supprt them it could. Personally I would not mid that at all as devices come with to much bloat ware now.
  • Personally if Samsung cut Google apps and services out of their phones (not that I would ever buy Samsung), and developers started pushing their apps on the inferior Samsung store then I'd leave Android for good.
  • For the right price, I would buy it. If China wants my data, they can have it too. The US via Google already has it *tongue in cheek* :)
  • Hell no. There's a reason I'm rocking a Pixel and it's not for bragging rights
  • Sure, it's called an iPhone. Of course I could install them.
  • No. Too many things I use day to day come from Google. I know you can most likely side load Google Playstore as you have to do with Amazon tablets but it not something I want to do.
  • There's no way I'd buy an Android phone without Google apps and services. It's like buying an iPhone without Apple apps and services. No thanks.