AppGallery review: Can new Huawei and Honor phones work without Google?

15 March 2020
We take Huawei AppGallery for a spin to see how well it can replace the Google Play Store on the latest Huawei/Honor phones.

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When Huawei figures a way to get 95% of Google play store Apps, it will launch Homgmen OS since it would be easier to carry all the apps along

    Also don't forget Google Pay doesn't work too, so the NFC becomes pretty useless.

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      • Anonymous
      • uSW
      • 15 Mar 2020

      The truth is, this is too much hassle for a phone that charges premium price. There are many other alternatives. Huawei needs to mark down their phones to attract customers.

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        • Noisey_Boy
        • amb
        • 15 Mar 2020

        Redondo, 15 Mar 2020No WhatsApp?? No way. I won't buy Honor or Huawei phone I have non Google Huawei device and have WhatsApp running just fine. You can either use Phone Cline to transfer it and all the data across or there's a link on AppGallery that allows you to download it directly from the WhatsApp website.

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          • Kek
          • GBh
          • 15 Mar 2020

          Dometalican, 15 Mar 2020Great read. I've been looking for major alternatives for Go... moreWell, I am sorry to tell you that Huawei might not be what you are looking for. They dont allow you to unlock your bootloader, and without a proper reason, too.

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            • Kek
            • GBh
            • 15 Mar 2020

            Whoosh, at this point in time, you would think that we all know AppGallery is not working that well for Huawei. But here we are, with another review of it. And later on, after p40 releases, we might get another one, just going around the bush waiting for it to change its situation

              The main problem is not the lack of apps. Without GMS some apps can't send push notifications. And apps with built-in Google Maps won't work.

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                • Anonymous
                • TSN
                • 15 Mar 2020

                So i must have 3 application store in my phone? Nah nevermind

                  liy88, 15 Mar 2020article didnt talk about google drive .is there a way i ca... moreYou can access google drive with web browser, just no app available.

                    I have two Huawei Mi Pad 6 tablets gathering dust. They should match my iPad Pro tablets. However, I can't log in to the Play Store to download the many apps that I've paid for. Nor can I configure them to use my default e-mail account (Gmail).
                    I'm a pawn sacrificed in a trade war that my country is not involved in. How about competition for the best products instead?

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                      • liy88
                      • CFQ
                      • 15 Mar 2020

                      article didnt talk about google drive .is there a way i can accses my drive data on huawei banned phones?

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                        • Anonymous
                        • S2T
                        • 15 Mar 2020

                        Like with Windows phone, its not the amount of apps that matter, but can you get the apps you need (and bought and expensive phone to use with)..
                        The answer is no for almost everybody in the free world.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • S2T
                          • 15 Mar 2020

                          OwnFix3, 15 Mar 2020This is still a monopoly. Android and iOS.Actually its a duopoly.

                            What about games?

                              Perhaps it's time for huawei to reconsider its decision to not allow unlocking of bootloader. Unlocking bootloader opens plethora of possibilities and way arounds. Send units to developers in XDA as it did before and release kernel sources and blobs regularly. It may become very popular like OnePlus among modding community.

                                The Last Oracle, 15 Mar 2020I have never used a Huawei phone, but I hate the idea of mo... moreThis is still a monopoly. Android and iOS.

                                  No WhatsApp?? No way. I won't buy Honor or Huawei phone

                                    For people who have been leaving the Google ecosystem and gone FOSS, this is a piece of cake really. I myself at the moment have a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 running Havoc OS with F-Droid pre-installed and definitely enjoying the deGoogled experience. Furthermore, I already have some experience with Huawei's AppGallery alongside Huawei Mobile Services and I am definitely impressed with it. Unfortunately, my current budget constrains forces me to hold my plan of getting a deGoogled Huawei.

                                      I have never used a Huawei phone, but I hate the idea of monopolies, and being stuck between 2 ecosystems (Google and Apple), both of which come fixed permanently to their smartphones. Maybe the EU can fine noth Google and apple ik the billions, to ensure that phone and ecosystems don't come mated. Maybe even allowing for OS to be open and customers having the option to migrate.

                                      If Huawei succeeds at this, the world will be a much better place for monopolies and free competition.

                                        Thanks for this great review!
                                        I wish you still tried the microG. It's just sideloading one apk file. Perhaps all the apps that require GMS would work with it.

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