Science

Angry Huawei users accuse the Chinese tech giant of flashing up adverts on LOCKED phone screens


Angry Huawei users accuse the Chinese tech giant of flashing up adverts on LOCKED phone screens

  • Huawei users on report seeing adverts for travel company Booking.com 
  • This include the travel company’s logo and links to offers from the firm
  • Booking.com has an existing partnership with Huawei through its official app

Scandal-hit Huawei has taken another knock after users of its smartphones took to social media to complain about adverts appearing on their lock-screens.

People took to Twitter when they began seeing adverts for travel company Booking.com appear as the main image on their device’s homescreen. 

The images appear to have been added to the phone’s Magazine Unlock feature – a Huawei tool which displays a rotating set of images each time the device’s screen is activated and unlocked.

The complaints come as Huawei was forced to delay launch of its first foldable smartphone the Mate X.

It also follows a long-standing row with the US over security concerns over the firm’s alleged links to the Chinese government.

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Scandal-hit Huawei has taken another knock after users of its smartphones took to social media to complain about adverts appearing on their lock-screens (pictured)

Scandal-hit Huawei has taken another knock after users of its smartphones took to social media to complain about adverts appearing on their lock-screens (pictured)

People took to Twitter when they began seeing adverts for travel company Booking.com appear as the main image on their device's homescreen

 People took to Twitter when they began seeing adverts for travel company Booking.com appear as the main image on their device’s homescreen

Many users reported seeing a range of images, which included the travel company’s logo and links to offers from the firm.

Neither Huawei or Booking.com have commented on the issue but Huawei’s official German Twitter account did respond to questions about the tool from to one user, apologising for the incident and detailing how the feature can be switched off.

‘I’m sorry that you think we want to advertise. You can deactivate the magazine at any time. Just wipe it from bottom to top and click on the gearwheel symbol,’ the account said.

Booking.com has an existing partnership with Huawei through its official app, which is one of several pre-loaded onto Huawei devices before they are shipped to customers. 

Writing about the adverts, Ceel said: ‘I just got an add of booking.com on my lockscreen. I am using a Huawei and I am not the only one who gets it.’

Twitter user Daniel added: ‘Why on earth do I get advertisement on my lockscreen. I need an explanation immediately!!!’

A number of Huawei users went on social media to complain of seeing adverts for travel company Booking.com appear as the main image on their device's homescreen before it was unlocked

A number of Huawei users went on social media to complain of seeing adverts for travel company Booking.com appear as the main image on their device’s homescreen before it was unlocked

The incident comes as Huawei confirmed it would be delaying the launch of its first foldable phone, the Mate X, in order to carry out further tests on the device and its flexible screen after rivals Samsung were hit by issues with its own foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold.

Huawei has now said it plans to release the Mate X in September, after it was initially expected to be launched during the summer.

The company said it was being more ‘cautious’ about the device following Samsung’s issues, which were uncovered when the device was being reviewed by early testers, with several reporting problems with the folding screen within a few days of testing.

Production lines for Huawei’s smartphones have reportedly halted as the company grapples with the effects of a U.S. blacklisting.

As a result, Huawei is looking to speed of the creation of its own operating system which would forego the reliance on those of U.S. based companies.

The U.S. government banned Chinese suppliers including Huawei and its smaller rival, ZTE Corp., saying that they pose an espionage threat since they’re both beholden to China’s ruling Communist Party, however, American officials have presented no evidence of any Huawei equipment serving as intentional conduits for espionage by Beijing. 

The Trump administration put Huawei on a blacklist last month that barred it from doing business with US tech companies such as Alphabet Inc, whose Android OS is used in Huawei's phones

The Trump administration put Huawei on a blacklist last month that barred it from doing business with US tech companies such as Alphabet Inc, whose Android OS is used in Huawei’s phones

WHY DO BRITISH INTELLIGENCE THINK HUAWEI’S PRODUCTS MAY POSE A SECURITY THREAT?

China’s controversial telecommunications equipment maker Huawei openly supports the ruling Communist Party.

Ren Zhengfei, a former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) engineer, founded the company in 1987 and it has risen to rank among the world’s top manufacturers of network equipment.

But his PLA service has led to concerns of close links with the Chinese military and government, which Huawei has consistently denied. 

Ren Zhengfei, a former People's Liberation Army (PLA) engineer, founded the company in 1987 and it has risen to rank among the world's top manufacturers of network equipment. But his PLA service has led to concerns of close links with the Chinese military and government, which Huawei has consistently denied

Ren Zhengfei, a former People’s Liberation Army (PLA) engineer, founded the company in 1987 and it has risen to rank among the world’s top manufacturers of network equipment. But his PLA service has led to concerns of close links with the Chinese military and government, which Huawei has consistently denied

Huawei operates in 170 countries and the company says one third of the world’s population communicate using its products in some way.

It is the world’s second largest network equipment supplier behind Sweden’s Ericsson, and has made a large push into consumer products such smartphones in recent years.

Fears around its capabilities to tap into sensitive information stem from rumours of backdoors in in the firm’s software.

Although no such vulnerability has ever been found, allegations for their capabilities range from the ability to tap into encrypted data  to knocking out communications facilities.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, which is part of GCHQ, has not claimed to find evidence of such vulnerabilities.

However, intelligence experts say they can only provide limited assurances that the Chinese company is not a risk to broadband and phone networks in the UK.



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