Chinese Tech Giants Working Together to End Google’s Play Dominance

Four Chinese tech giants; Huawei Technologies, Xiaomi Corporation (1810), Oppo Mobile Corp and Vivo Communications Tech are jointly working together to develop a platform in which developers outside China can upload their apps onto their respective app stores simultaneously.

According to sources involved with the matter, the four are working together under an umbrella called Global Developer Service Alliance (GDSA).

Xiaomi, Vivo and Oppo had earlier confirmed joint development of GDSA. Back then, through its spokesperson, Xiaomi denied Huawei’s involvement in the project. Both Vivo and Oppo which are owned by BBK Electronics, never said a thing concerning if Huawei was a party in GDSA.

Google Play Store versus GDSA

Many players are viewing this move as one aimed at reducing Google’s play store dominance worldwide. Regardless of the fact that all Google services are banned in China these Chinese smartphones manufactures’ have full access to Google’s services in the international markets where Google Play remains widely dominant.

According to the Vice President of Mobility at Canalys, Nicole Peng, GDSA will benefit each player since all of them enjoy different market bases worldwide. Moreover, it will increase their bargaining power against Google.

“By forming this alliance each company will be looking to leverage the others’ advantages in different regions, with Xiaomi’s strong user base in India, Vivo and Oppo in Southeast Asia, and Huawei in Europe. Secondly, it’s to start to build some more negotiation power against Google,” said Peng.

IDC smartphone analyst, Will Wong, believes such a move will not only challenge Google but it will help the companies penetrate the software market since hardware sales of many manufacturers have been on a declining pattern.

“Chinese vendors are trying to capture a greater share of software and services as hardware sales slow. App store, pre-loading apps, advertisements and gaming are areas that could generate new revenue,” said Wong.

When reached upon to comment on the matter, Xiaomi spokesman said the alliance is a not aiming at challenging the dominance of Google Play Store.

Embattled Huawei

In recent times Chinese tech giant Huawei has been on loggerheads with the United States where the company has ended as the casualty in many circumstances among them; its Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou arrested for allegedly covering up attempts of companies linked to Huawei to selling equipment to U.S sanctioned Iran.

The company also lost access of Google services for its new devices last year, additionally Trump’s administration prohibited American manufacturers against supplying the firm with goods and services.

Following the predicaments Huawei moved forward and it’s currently in the process of developing its own operating system known as the Harmony OS.

Currently Huawei facing a risk of being declared a national security risk by the U.S Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Nonetheless, in the last quarter of last year, these four Chinese manufacturers made up 40.1% of global smartphone shipments.