Google’s decision to block Android updates for Huawei smartphones has been making waves around the world, but owners of Huawei laptops – such as the Huawei MateBook 14 – have been left wondering if Microsoft will follow suit and block Windows 10 updates for Huawei laptops.
The idea that Microsoft would prevent Huawei laptops from installing important Windows 10 updates – and the security implications for users that entails – should be ridiculous, but with Google bowing to pressure from the US government, and Microsoft’s silence on the matter, makes us fear that we could see a similar ban for Huawei laptops.
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We contacted Microsoft to find out whether or not the company is planning on blocking Windows 10 updates for Huawei laptops, and we got a rather terse statement that “we have nothing to share.”
While that doesn’t mean Microsoft is going to block Windows 10 updates, the fact that the company seems unwilling to deny it gives us concern.
Not being able to update your Huawei laptop with the latest updates for Windows 10 would be a major blow for anyone using the devices. Huawei’s laptops are pretty great – and regularly top our best laptops list – but if they can no longer be updated, we wouldn’t be able to recommend them.
It would be an odd choice for Microsoft – as the company will not want unpatched and updated Windows 10 laptops out in the wild – so if the company does block Windows 10 updates (and remember this isn’t confirmed either way at the moment), then it would likely be due to pressure from the US government, which has instigated the blacklist of Huawei due to security concerns.
Intel and Qualcomm are joining the ban
It’s also emerged that other major hardware makers including Intel and Qualcomm will not supply Huawei with their products.
This would have major implications for future Huawei laptops, which so far run on Intel processors. With Microsoft’s reluctance to say whether it will block Windows 10 updates, things aren’t looking great for Huawei’s laptops.
We’ve contacted Huawei for a comment and will update this story when we hear more.
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