Honor confirms talks with Google; expects ties to resume soon

Honor lost access to Google’s services in 2019 when formed owner Honor was targeted with US trade restrictions. But now that it’s an independent brand, a partnership with Google is back on the table.

Honor phones could once again ship with Google services

Speaking to the South China Morning Post in a recent interview (viaAndroid Authority), Honor CEO George Zhao confirmed that Honor is now in talks with Google about resuming ties in the coming months.

Such a move would pave the way for new Honor smartphones with Google Mobile Services and, as a direct result, access to the Play Store and apps like Google Maps, Gmail, and YouTube.

The news comes around a week after Honor announced new agreements with several component suppliers including Qualcomm, Samsung, Intel, AMD, MediaTek, and Sony.

An official timeline for the return of Google on Honor devices wasn’t provided, although recent reports have indicated that the first phones could debut in the spring, likely in time for the Honor X20 launch.

In the meantime, Honor is focusing its efforts on China. The brand’s goal, per CEO George Zhao, is to release high-end smartphones capable of competing with Apple and Huawei devices.