Google might ban the supply of any Android smartphones to Russia

According to the Telegram message of analyst Eldar Murtazin of the Mobile Research Group, Google has stopped licensing Android operating system to smartphone manufacturers in Russia. However, what’s striking is that he doesn’t believe Google will ban the sale of Android smartphones in Russia; and for other brands.

“This means that Russian companies will not be able to produce Android smartphones with Android on GMS (services from Google) for the Russian market. For international manufacturers such as Samsung and others, there are no such restrictions, since they are certified for global firmware, there are no restrictions for specific markets.”

-Eldar Murtazin

Google may impose a ban on the supply of any Android smartphones to Russia

Several Russian manufacturers are currently working on mobile devices. Their portion, however, is minor, and the devices they create aren’t in great demand. Remember that the software platform is free and comes with open source. All Google can do now is withdraw Google services from Russian phones; as Huawei smartphones were already restricted to using non-Google applications

According to Eldar Murtazin, Google laboratories have begun to shut down businesses from Russia since March 23, eliminating them of the opportunity to develop smartphones with a GMS version of Android for the Russian market. There are no such limitations for foreign businesses. He believes that it’s only a matter of time until Google puts an end to the sale of Android devices in the Russian market, though.

There may be some clarity on this issue soon. On March 25, the US Department of Commerce is expected to provide further details on smartphones for all businesses and clarify export restrictions for the Russian market. If Google’s ban on Android device sales goes into effect, Eldar Murtazin expects an increase in black market activity and device usage outside of Russia.

The US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo warned recently that Chinese companies supplying semiconductors to Russia would certainly be harmed by the US. We’re talking about chips manufactured using American technology in general, but finding anything else on the market is almost difficult. As a result, the United States is asking China to join the technological embargo against Russia.

It should also be noted that the representative of the US authorities recently declared that they were prepared to attack Chinese firms if they agreed to supply chips to the Russian Federation, and a particular threat was made against China’s largest contract semiconductor manufacturer, SMIC.