Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 21-11-2019

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

Huawei says the launch of Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) is not a strategy to move away from Google Mobile Services (GMS), but a means to speed up the progress of the tech company’s app gallery. 

Huawei launched their HMS at the first developer day in Africa at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town on Thursday motivating developers from across the country to create applications for its platform. 

While Google and Huawei aren’t technically allowed to trade anymore, the HMS seems promising for young bright-eyed and talented developers to create apps for the South African market in line with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ambitions for the fourth industrial revolution. 

Speaking to Radio Islam, Huawei Chief Technology Officer Akhram Mohamed says the company wants to be self-reliant and sustainable with the HMS. 

“So, what this has done is our hardware capabilities is undisputed and we’ve done that. But although we’ve been developing HMS for some time for many years, we weren’t going full steam ahead because I think we became a bit complacent. Now we are saying what happens if we cannot use it (GMS) in future, then we actually need to go and have an alternative.” 

Vice President of Huawei for Africa and Middle East Likun Zhao says, the company has a huge foot print in the smartphone market and wants to provide better experiences for Huawei consumers with the HMS. 

“We want to establish the Huawei Eco-System for our developers for local companies. With local developers, we have the advantage. We can push and encourage local developers to expand their business from South Africa to the overseas market.” 

Huawei says it’s currently working with large companies in South Africa like DStv Now, Showmax News24, Takealot, Discovery and even some major banks who have outstanding quality apps with the highest standards and want local developers be inspired by them. 

Listen to the interview with Akhram Mohamed 

Listen to the interview with Likun Zhao