There’s no doubt that HUAWEI’s latest flagship series, the HUAWEI Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro, are one of the best smartphones out in the market today. With mind-blowing innovations and breakthroughs in mobile cinematography, both the 5G and 4G versions of the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro have bagged the accolade of the top positions in DxOMark Mobile. Yes, DxOMark, the “Michelin Guide” for cameras even said the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro’s camera is the “smartphone camera to beat.”
Despite the challenges in 2019, HUAWEI proved to deserve its place as one of the best with every piece of tech they release. They even surpassed their volume of sales in 2018 as they ended 2019 having over 261Million units sold! HUAWEI is indeed stronger than ever and for 2020, I’m super sure that HUAWEI will continue to wow the world with its newest lineup of devices to be launched in the coming months. Truly, it just keeps getting better and better each year for HUAWEI and I’m truly honoured to be a part of it.
And so as my HUAWEI journey continues, this year, I’ve decided to switch to more HUAWEI products to fully integrate HUAWEI in my lifestyle. Currently, I’m saving up to buy a Matebook so I can easily sync and transfer documents and files from my smartphone to laptop. My family is also excited to purchase HUAWEI’s Hi-Vision smart tv once it becomes available here in the Philippines.
No Google? No Problem!
Perhaps the most common question I received from friends and readers last year was, “Will the Mate 30 Pro still work even without Google?” … and the answer, of course, is a resounding YES!
… well to be honest, at first, I was also scared AF since like most people, I’m very much dependent on Google. But after a few days, I found out that it’s super easy to install Google manually (I even made a step-by-step video about it. Check out my video below).
The good news is that we actually have a bunch of options to choose from…
- To manually install Google in your Mate 30 Pro
- Use the HUAWEI AppGallery, HUAWEI Browser and trusted APK websites instead to access and download our favourite local apps.
From Google Play to the HUAWEI AppGallery: Making the Switch
Last year, I installed Google manually on my HUAWEI Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro and I’m glad to say that I’ve never encountered any issues so far.
A few days ago, I received news that HUAWEI recently updated its HUAWEI AppGallery with more local apps, so I’ve decided to reset my HUAWEI Mate 30 and try to live life without using Google Play for at least a month to test and find out if one can really “survive.” Bwahaahahaha (evil laugh)
You see, HUAWEI knows and understands how important it is for us Pinoys to be able to use our local apps, so they are doing their best to include our mainstream apps in the HUAWEI AppGallery so there will be less and less need for us to be too dependent on Google Play.
Here’s a list of some facts you ought to know about downloading apps on the HUAWEI Mate 30 or Mate 30 Pro.
Huawei AppGallery
Fact #1: Most mainstream apps are compatible with the HUAWEI Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro.
It is without a doubt that the HUAWEI Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro are impeccable phones. Believe it or not, we can instantly download a lot of mainstream local apps in Mate30 series.
Popular social media apps such as WhatsApp, Viber, Facebook, and Instagram are compatible with the HUAWEI Mate 30 Series. Meanwhile, music streaming apps like Spotify, travel apps such as Agoda and Booking.com and more are also usable on the Mate 30 series phones. Here’s a list of usable apps on the Mate 30 series:
Expect more and more mainstream apps to be available in the HUAWEI AppGallery soon. In the meantime, if your favourite app isn’t available yet at the HUAWEI AppGallery, you can easily download them using trusted APK websites via the HUAWEI Browser (I’ll discuss more of this later).
Fact #2: Migrate Apps Using Phone Clone App or Download your favourite apps via HUAWEI AppGallery
If you are an existing HUAWEI user, you may use the HUAWEI Phone Clone app to directly migrate your existing apps from your old phone to your new Mate 30 or Mate 30 Pro.
Another option is to just re-download all your apps into your new phone via HUAWEI AppGallery with ease. They work in just the same way as any other app distribution platforms.
With HUAWEI AppGallery. HUAWEI’s own official app distribution platform, users can search, download, manage and use mainstream mobile apps such as Viber，GCash, Pamaya，BDO, Agoda, Booking.com, TikTok, Lazada, Shopee, and more – with no issues!
Fact #3: Access the web version of apps or download from third-party APK websites through the HUAWEI Browser
Now let’s get real… How do we utilize the G-suite and YouTube on our HUAWEI phones without GMS? Easy! The HUAWEI Browser comes with a shortcut function on its homepage which allows you to customize and set up your preferred mobile browsing services such as Search and YouTube.
If you are an avid fan of Gmail, integration is available via the Mail app which allows you to read, reply, forward and use the mailbox as usual. No hassle at all!
Some apps may not be available on the HUAWEI AppGallery yet even though it is compatible with your phone so the best thing to do is to find the right platform to download the apps.
Pro Tip 1: Use the HUAWEI Browser and set up several third-party APK downloading websites such as APKPure, APKMonk, AppTaken and others. These APK websites offer a whole variety of apps for you to add to your Mate 30 phones.
For example, if you need a navigation app, you could download the Waze APK through APKPure, install it into your phone and voila! You are ready to go. The same goes for Google Maps as well. Although it is no longer pre-installed into your phone, you could always download the APK and install it with a few simple clicks.
Pro Tip 2: the HUAWEI Browser, like the HUAWEI AppGallery, is pre-installed with the HUAWEI Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro. You can instantly access these apps as soon as you start up your new Mate 30 phone.
Here are some of my observations and conclusions so far:
- HUAWEI Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro is one of the best flagship smartphones series in the market today.
- Both can function seamlessly even without pre-installed Google Apps
- Most local mainstream apps are compatible with the HUAWEI Mate 30 Series and can be downloaded either on the HUAWEI AppGallery or APK websites using the HUAWEI Browser.
- HUAWEI continues to add and grow its roster of mainstream local apps in the HUAWEI AppGallery for Pinoy users to enjoy.
- The HUAWEI Mate 30 series may be one of the priciest phones offered by HUAWEI, yet they are well worth the investment considering the amazing features of Kirin 990 Chipset, Leica cameras, amazing curved screens with AI gestures and groundbreaking videography capabilities.
Overall, the HUAWEI Mate 30 and Mate 30 Pro are flagship smartphones that you should not miss!
Stay tuned for more stories and updates as I use my HUAWEI Mate 30 without Google Play. Follow my HUAWEI journey on my Instagram account, @mayoilagan.
Oh, before I forget, HUAWEI is now offering the HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro at P50,990 while you could get the HUAWEI Mate 30 now at only P34.990!
For more info, visit https://consumer.HUAWEI.com/ph/
