Dieter Bohn T-Mobile / Sprint merger clears major FCC hurdle

US tech companies are cutting ties with Huawei following an order from the Trump administration. The fallout is going to create a lot of problems for the Chinese tech giant. Most immediately, it means Huawei has lost access to all of the Googleified parts of Android, including the Play Store.

It's a huge loss that, at least for the moment, seems to suddenly and dramatically halt the momentum of one of Android's biggest players. It's hard to say exactly how this will shake out, but it's very bad news for Huawei — just as it was beginning to pose a real threat to Samsung when it comes to smartphone sales.

-Jake

+ Google pulls Huawei’s Android license

---> This means it's limited to open-source Android

+ It's a serious problem: Huawei’s phone business would be decimated without Google’s Android

+ Intel, Qualcomm, and others reportedly join Huawei ban

---> Huawei stockpiled chips in preparation

+ 7 questions we have about Huawei getting blacklisted

+ Huawei responds to Android ban

+ In somehow not the day's biggest policy news: the FCC is preparing to approve the T-Mobile / Sprint merger

---> T-Mobile made a bunch of promises to build out 5G coverage. It still has to clear the DOJ.

+ Sprint will also divest Boost Mobile

---> T-Mobile has a bigger prepaid carrier (Metro) anyway

+ Okay, finally we can talk about some apps and gadgets

+ Sony made a cheaper alternative to its excellent noise-canceling headphones

+ Lutron’s new Hue dimmer fixes the wall switch problem

+ Pandora launches new Mac app, with Windows coming soon

+ AT&T’s 5G E game is even worse than its misleadingly named network

+ The two most anticipated foldable phones are starting off to disastrous launches