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Huawei will replace Google Maps with TomTom, a Dutch mapping solution. TomTom is a dutch navigation and digital mapping company. It signed a deal with Huawei for use of its maps and services in smartphone apps.
As most of you know, this is a necessary move for Huawei due to the US ban. Huawei cannot use Google’s services on its new phones at the moment, which prevents it from installing Google Maps on its devices.
Huawei cannot use Google Maps on its new devices due to the US ban, and TomTom is supposed to be an alternative
The company had to find an alternative, and it reached out to TomTom for that. Most of you have probably heard of TomTom at one point or the other, as it’s a very well-known mapping solution provider.
This deal means that Huawei can now use TomTom’s maps, traffic information, and navigation software in order to develop apps for its smartphones.
TomTom’s spokesman, Remco Meestra, said that this deal has been signed quite some time ago. It had not been made public by the company, though, not until now. Mr. Meestra did not share the details of the agreement, though.
TomTom is now more focused on offering software services than selling devices. It actually sold its telematics division to Bridgestone last year, so that it can focus on digital mapping businesses.
Now, we’re almost certainly going to see a mapping solution based on TomTom’s software pre-installed on the Huawei P40 series. The Huawei P40 will become official at the end of March, and Huawei has to offer some sort of a mapping solution with it.
Presuming that the trade ban isn’t solved by then, Huawei’s consumers will not be able to use Google Maps. Google Maps will not be available via Huawei’s App Gallery, and you won’t have access to the Google Play store. Well, at least it won’t come pre-installed on the device(s).
TomTom’s mapping solution will come pre-installed on the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro
In comes TomTom, as we’re expecting to see a dedicated application pre-installed on both the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro. This deal has been signed a while back, which means that such a solution has been in the works for a while.
It remains to be seen what will happen in the trade ban gets lifted for Huawei. China and the US already agree on the first trade deal recently, but Huawei was not included. It remains to be seen if that will change in the near future. Chances are it won’t change in time for the P40 series launch, it may already be too late.
Both the Huawei P40 and P40 Pro will launch in March as the company’s new flagships. It remains to be seen if Huawei will be able to replace Google Maps with TomTom as efficiently as it hopes.