ZTE may lose Android license as U.S. market woes build

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Chinese smartphone maker ZTE Corp’s U.S. woes deepened on Tuesday, as regulators proposed new rules that could cut into its sales, while a supply ban means it may not be able to use Android software in its devices, according to a source.

The U.S. Commerce Department banned American firms on Monday from selling parts and software to ZTE for seven years. The move was sparked by ZTE’s violation of an agreement that was reached after it was caught illegally shipping U.S. goods to Iran.

Then on Tuesday a U.S. telecoms regulator proposed new rules that would bar government programs from buying from companies that it says pose a security threat to U.S. telecoms networks, which will likely hurt both ZTE and rival Chinese smartphone maker Huawei Technologies.

The moves threaten to further complicate relations between the United States and China. The two countries have already proposed tens of billions of dollars in tariffs in recent weeks, fanning worries of a full-blown trade war that could hurt global supply chains as well as business investment plans.

The Commerce Department decision means ZTE Corp may not be able to use Google’s Android operating system in its mobile devices, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

ZTE and the Alphabet Inc unit have been discussing the impact of the ban, the source added, but the two companies were still unclear about the use of Android by ZTE as of Tuesday morning.

ZTE shipped 46.4 million smartphones last year, placing it seventh among Android-based manufacturers, according to research firm IHS Markit.

Google declined to comment and ZTE has not responded to requests to comment.

出口禁令下中兴恐失去安卓牌照? 中兴:正在沟通

4月17日, 受到美国商务部发布的未来七年出口禁令的影响，中国智能手机制造商中兴通讯的困境进一步加剧——除了可能削减其销售外，来自美国的出口禁令还可能让中兴通讯无法在其设备中使用谷歌的安卓操作系统。

4月16日晚间，美国商务部发布对中兴通讯的出口禁令，直到2025年3月13日，美国公司将被禁止向中兴通讯销售零部件、商品、软件和技术。

中兴通讯和谷歌母公司Alphabet一直在讨论该禁令对二者的影响，但截至当地时间周二上午，两家公司仍未就中兴通讯使用安卓系统做出决定。

公司董秘办人士称，他并不清楚中兴是否在与谷歌进行讨论，但可以确定的是公司目前是在与美国政府部门来解决这个事件；至于中兴有没有与哪家公司单独进行谈判，或者是谈判进展，该人士也表示完全不了解。

资料显示，中兴手机的市场主要是在欧美，海外市场出货占比约7成，其中美国市场占比最高。根据Gartner公布的数据，2017年中兴智能手机全球出货量有4300万台，相比上一年大幅下滑17.3%。

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