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I'm confused by the premise here, as repeated in the title and initial sentence: Huawei Technologies on Thursday unveiled its first laptop that runs the compan
by dzdt 1y ago
I'm confused by the premise here, as repeated in the title and initial sentence:
Huawei Technologies on Thursday unveiled its first laptop that runs the company’s self-developed operating system, HarmonyOS, following the expiration of its Microsoft Windows license for personal computers (PCs) in March.
What kind of Windows license are we talking about here? I understood that Huawei is a hardware manufacturer. Any Windows license on a laptop they deliver would be an OEM license attached to the device, right? Are they saying that Huawei lost its contract to sell Windows OEM licenses with the devices it manufactures?
Is that a thing? Does Microsoft say to hardware makers that no, you cannot sell your hardware with Windows? What kind of dispute between Microsoft and Huawei leads to that outcome?
- ferguess_k 1y agoI think it's targeting the government/corporation world -> if your Windows licenses expire, you can switch to HarmonyOS.
- EwanToo 1y agoYou need a license from Microsoft to resell Windows licenses as an OEM. US sanctions against Huawei mean that they can't sign a renewal.
- dzdt 1y agoOkay some further searching indicates the license that is expiring is Microsoft's export license to export Windows to Huawei. After the previous round of sanctions on Huawei, Microsoft had applied for and received a license to continue selling Windows copies to Huawei for it to resell. That is expiring, and is not expected to be renewed. So its really an export license from the US government that is expiring.
- xeromal 1y agoThey result in the same thing right? Huawei can't use windows after a certain time period.