Once a 5G leader, Huawei can’t offer 5G in its newest phones

Huawei newest batch of smartphones won’t be able to connect to 5G networks. The development represents a shocking turnabout for a company that just a year ago claimed a global leadership position in the sale of smartphones and wireless networking equipment.

The primary reason behind Huawei’s 5G about-face is no secret: ongoing US sanctions against the Chinese vendor.

“Because of the four rounds of US restrictions over the past two years or so, 5G phones are beyond our reach and we have to go with 4G,” Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei’s consumer business group, said this week during the unveiling of the company’s new P50 and P50 Pro smartphones, according to a CNBC report. The new gadgets instead will use Qualcomm chips to connect to 4G networks.

Not surprisingly, the absence of 5G may hinder sales of the devices.

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