Huawei promises consumers in the Philippines a full refund if Gmail and Facebook won’t work on its devices – South China Morning Post
What happened: Huawei, the world’s second-largest smartphone maker, said it would fully refund the cost of its smartphones and tablets to consumers in the Philippines if its devices are unable to support popular apps such as Gmail, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. The refund program will span two years from purchase, local media reported. Huawei declined to reveal if the program would be extended to other overseas markets.
Why it’s important: Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei has confirmed on Monday that its overseas smartphone sales dropped 40% because of the United States’ persistent crackdown on the company. The company expects its international smartphone sales to fall 40% to 60% for the year. The refund program is an effort to save its smartphone business from declining. But, for the long-term Huawei will have to rely on its self-developed mobile operating system, an alternative to Android which is expected to roll out this fall.