ZTE could lose his license Android in the United States

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The chinese ZTE might not be able to use the Android operating system of Google (NASDAQ:GOOGLE) in its mobile handsets due to a decision of the department of Commerce of the United States, said Tuesday a source close to the folder.

She adds that the chinese manufacturer of smartphones and is a subsidiary of Alphabet have discussed the impact of this decision.

The department of Commerce has banned Monday for u.s. companies to sell components and software to ZTE for seven years, blaming the latter have smuggled american goods to Iran.

ZTE has delivered 46.4 million smartphones last year, which places it at the seventh rank of the manufacturers using Android, according to IHS Markit.

In addition, the federal communications Commission has proposed Tuesday to ban public institutions to buy from companies representing a threat to the security of the telecom networks of the United States, a move that could have serious consequences also for the sales of ZTE in the United States and to those of his compatriot Huawei Technologies.

This initiative, which could take the force of law this year, seems to be a new american offensive aimed at preventing ZTE and Huawei gain significant market share in the United States, as they do elsewhere.

(Paresh Dave and David Shepardson; Wilfrid Exbrayat for the French service)