Huawei P40 Lite: Provision of apps ensured despite the lack of Google Play Store

With Android 10 and its in-house EMUI 10 user interface, the Huawei P40 Lite uses the most current OS ingredients. There is only one problem: unfortunately it lacks the Google Services and with that also the Play Store. As Google writes in a blog post, the Google Services are only available for Play Protect certified devices – so this means, not for the P40 Lite. While various reports on some Internet forums show that it can work at times to install the Google Services later, there is some doubt whether they will then also continue to work over time.

To make the best of this situation, with AppGallery, Huawei has preinstalled its own app store on the P40 Lite. However, the range of apps show some gaps compared to Google Play. So of course it would be in the best interest of the manufacturer to increase the app offerings as quickly as possible in order to prevent buyers from turning away.

Those who don't find what they need in the AppGallery, can try to remedy this with the AppSearch. This app, which is advertised by Huawei as an addition to AppGallery, searches the Internet for apps that cannot be found in the AppGallery. Those can then be downloaded via third-party app stores such as APKPure or APKMonk. While this is not as safe as using the Google Play Store or its AppGallery Huawei alternative, currently this detour cannot be avoided.

However, it is not impossible that Huawei can still install the Google Play services on the P40 Lite, since there is a glimmer of hope: in the meantime Google has requested permission from the US government to be able to provide Huawei with its services. We are currently still waiting for a decision.