Shortly after the Huawei P30 series of phones launched, Google banned Huawei from using its apps on phones - that's many of the apps Android users use every day gone - and since then new Huawei phones have missed these vital apps. However it seems the company could have a 'new' phone coming soon that has Google apps.
This news comes from Huawei itself, from its German-language site (as spotted by Huawei Central), where the terms and conditions for an impending promotion list, among other Huawei phones, the 'P30 Pro NEW EDITION' alongside other P30 phones. So the phone isn't totally confirmed, but this seems pretty reliable evidence.
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In early 2020 the P30 Lite saw a 'New Edition' with more RAM and storage than the original. It seems, then, that the company will do the same with the Huawei P30 Pro, perhaps giving it a spec overhaul (although given that the P30 Pro had a wide array of storage sizes, we wouldn't expect that to be increased).
It's not clear when we'll see this new Huawei P30 Pro version, but the promotion it was mentioned as being part of starts on May 15, so it's possible we'll see it before then. Saying that, it might be only available in certain regions, or have a release date staggered by country, so we can't say for certain.
Why a new Huawei P30 Pro?
Since the P30 series, Huawei has also put out the Mate 30 and P40 phones, so it could seem strange that it has decided to resurrect its early-2019 series of smartphones.
However, it actually makes perfect sense - since the Huawei P30 phones launched before the Huawei ban, they're still allowed to be sold with Google apps, unlike newer devices from the company. This also applies to 'new' Huawei P30 phones, so by releasing 'New Edition' devices, the company has found a way to circumnavigate the ban.
So now people who want a new Huawei phone but also (understandably) need Google's apps like the Play Store, Gmail and Maps, have an option, albeit one that will net them slightly outdated tech. In our review we gave the Huawei P30 Pro four and a half stars out of five, so it's a great phone to choose.
It's not clear how long this tactic of Huawei's can go on for, as there will come a time when the P30 series is too old to resurrect for newer versions, but for now it seems Huawei is making the most of this little loophole.
