Huawei P30 Pro Android Q update 'confirmed' by Huawei - but is it really?

HUawei P30 Pro Andrioid Q Update
Image Credit: TechRadar

Huawei has told TechRadar that it is planning future software upgrades for 16 of its current devices - which would include the Huawei P30 and P30 Pro Android Q update many are already clamoring for.

A new blog post from Huawei in the UK was posted to clear up issues prospective customers have been confused about, including whether its devices will get solid software updates.

In that, Huawei stated that 'it was confident' that its smartphones would get access to future Android updates, so we spoke to the brand to get clarification.

When asked directly whether the brand could guarantee future Android Q updates for its top handsets, it told us: "All Huawei smartphones and tablets will continue to receive security patches and Android updates"

This dovetails well with the leak of EMUI 10 beta that emerged for the Huawei P30 Pro a few days back - that software is based on Android Q.

The Mate 20 Pro is further along the line as it has received approval from Google for the Android Q upgrade, so that one is pretty much certain to be coming, as the ban is currently temporarily lifted.

The full list of devices Huawei submitted to Google for the proposed update:

  • P30 Pro
  • P30
  • Mate 20
  • Mate 20 Pro
  • PORSCHE DESIGN Mate 20 RS
  • P30 lite
  • P smart 2019
  • P smart+ 2019
  • P smart Z
  • Mate 20 X
  • Mate 20 X (5G)
  • P20 Pro
  • P20
  • Mate 10 Pro
  • PORSCHE DESIGN Mate 10
  • Mate 10

One thing that's just a little off is the constant use of the word access, though. "Our most popular current devices, including the P30 series, will be able to access Android Q."

That could just be a translation issue, and means that the over the air upgrade to Android Q will land as expected for all Huawei's top phones. However, even if it is locked out of Google's updates, like any brand Huawei users can still download Android Q, but the open source variant.

Or perhaps Huawei use said open-source option, which is available to any brand but shorn of the Google mobile services, to create its own update for Android Q, but one that might not be identical to the one users would receive if the software upgrade landed normally.

The blog post also doesn't share any details on what will happen after Android Q. The Huawei ban in the US may continue to cause issues for those who have bought Android devices and expect to get solid software updates for a number of years afterwards.

What's also worth noting is that this is from the UK side of Huawei, so there's no gurantee these proposed updates will be available all over the world. 

Honor 20 also set to get Q

A trusted TechRadar internal source has also told us the new Honor 20 series (which includes the Honor 20 Pro and Honor 20 Lite) will receive the Android Q update.

We've asked Huawei for further clarification on the blog post as well as what the plan is for after Android Q, and we'll be sure to update you with more information as we have it.

James Peckham

James is the Editor-in-Chief at Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.