Update (12/13/19 @ 12:25 ET): AT&T’s 5G network is now live and the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G is shipping.
The race for rolling out 5G is now in full steam, but AT&T got in a bit of a controversy for, well, trying to cheat. The carrier launched what they called their “5GE” network, which is essentially just rebranded 4G LTE and not 5G at all. This, evidently, misled a number of users into thinking they actually had 5G on their phones when they actually didn’t. Nonetheless, AT&T is planning to roll out a real 5G network and this roll-out is set to happen as soon as next month.
The flagship phone that is set to carry AT&T’s 5G torch? The Galaxy Note 10+ 5G. The carrier will begin selling the 5G-enabled device for a $1,300 price tag next month. The device will work with the company’s 5G network, which will initially be offered in 5 US cities: Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rochester, and San Diego. The service will then be rolled out to 10 other cities “soon after” according to AT&T, while nation-wide coverage is set to come during the first half of 2020.
We should keep in mind, though, that this rollout will not include mmWave 5G connections, but rather “low-band” LTE, with speeds expected to be comparable to LTE Advanced. mmWave 5G, which AT&T brands as “5G+”, is already available in parts of 21 US cities, with planned expansions for 2020.
Unlike the differences found between the Galaxy S10 5G and the Galaxy S10+, which included a quad rear camera and a 3D face recognition system, the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G is mostly identical to the regular Galaxy Note 10+ with the only differences being that the former supports 5G while the latter doesn’t. So if you like the Galaxy Note 10+, your experience will be completely identical for the 5G-enabled model.
AT&T didn’t share specific launch dates last month, but now we know the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G is available today. The company’s 5G network is now live in 10 markets (Birmingham, Ala., Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Providence, R.I., Rochester, N.Y., San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, Calif.) and the Note 10+ 5G, which went up for pre-order a couple of weeks ago, is now shipping. The device is available in stores today for an outright price of $1,300 or $350 with AT&T Next or $43.34 per month with financing.
When you visit another country, chances are that you will pack a pair of headphones. You might use them to enjoy music on your flight or in your hotel room. But with theAunu Audio M50 True Wireless Headphones, you can also get live translations for 33 languages. Just as importantly, they provide excellent sound quality and battery life. They arenow only $84.99when you use codeMerrySave15for 15% off at the XDA Developers Depot.
Being lightweight and water resistant, the M50s headphones are great for everyday listening. You get six hours of playback on a full charge, and 150 hours of battery life with the supplied charging case.
Thanks to 6mm graphene drivers and Bluetooth technology, these headphones deliver outstanding audio quality. In addition, the M50 headphones have dual mics to pick up your voice — great for hands-free calls and speaking to Siri.
To get live translations, you simply install the Aunu language app on your phone. The app can handle an impressive list of languages and dialects, including Chinese, French, Russian, Italian, and Spanish.
Worth $229.98 in total, the headphones and the app arenow just $84.99with the code.
When you visit another country, chances are that you will pack a pair of headphones. You might use them to enjoy music on your flight or in your hotel room. But with theAunu Audio M50 True Wireless Headphones, you can also get live translations for 33 languages. Just as importantly, they provide excellent sound quality and battery life. They arenow only $84.99when you use codeMerrySave15for 15% off at the XDA Developers Depot.
Being lightweight and water resistant, the M50s headphones are great for everyday listening. You get six hours of playback on a full charge, and 150 hours of battery life with the supplied charging case.
Thanks to 6mm graphene drivers and Bluetooth technology, these headphones deliver outstanding audio quality. In addition, the M50 headphones have dual mics to pick up your voice — great for hands-free calls and speaking to Siri.
To get live translations, you simply install the Aunu language app on your phone. The app can handle an impressive list of languages and dialects, including Chinese, French, Russian, Italian, and Spanish.
Worth $229.98 in total, the headphones and the app arenow just $84.99with the code.
It’s no secret that Huawei’s latest flagship phones does not support Google Apps. At launch, there was a way to sideload the GMS and Google Play Services, but that was quickly taken down. That leaves us in a weird place. We have this flagship Android phone but a limited app store, the Huawei AppGallery, and no Google apps or services.
We wouldn’t really know this we use require GMS to download or to use. That doesn’t mean there aren’t work-arounds for Google’s own services or some other apps. Below are some of the 10 most popular apps and services and how we managed to get them working on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro without GMS or Google services installed.
APK Pure
Since we don’t have Google apps, that means no Google Play Store. Going around and searching for each new app update and apk as they are released is annoying to say the least. APK Pure is an app store that essentially replaces the Google Play Store. It’s a better service to use than downloading APKs directly because it supports installing split APKs. This means apps like Spotify can be installed through APK Pure even if you can’t sideload the APK normally. It will even handle installing updates!
To install APK Pure, all you need to do is sideload the APK Pure app. Once installed, you can search for and install any apps you please. It makes for a very good replacement to the Google Play Store.
Telegram is one of the apps that doesn’t require GMS at all. You can sideload it and use it normally. The only downside of not having GMS installed is the lack of location services. Many apps, including Telegram, require GMS for finding and sharing your location in an app. Telegram, being one of those apps, won’t have access to your location without GMS. This isn’t a huge deal as every other feature works perfectly. To install this app, you can install it through APK Pure or download it through APK Mirror and install the APK yourself.
Gmail is a bit of a special case. For Gmail, there is no app that will work. Other email apps like Outlook work, but Gmail doesn’t. That doesn’t stop the web version from working. You can easily just go to the Gmail website and have full access to Gmail and your email. It isn’t as great as the app, but in a situation like this, it’s the best you can get and it’s good enough for the basics.
Skype is one of the older and most loved chat platforms. I’ve had it for years and it’s easy to use and honestly just great. Luckily, not having Google isn’t going to stop you from being able to speak to your friends and family on Skype. Everything in the app works perfectly fine without the need for GMS.
WhatsApp is probably one of the most popular chatting apps worldwide. There are over 1 billion people on WhatsApp. WhatsApp can’t just leave you in the dark if you don’t have Google services, so they don’t require it. That’s right, you can use WhatsApp on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro without it. It works perfectly with no features missing.
Installing is as easy as pie as well.
Open APK Pure
Search for “WhatsApp”
Select WhatsApp and install it
Enjoy messaging your friends “What’s up” on WhatsApp
Social Media
Facebook
Last but not least, Facebook. Facebook doesn’t require Google Services what-so-ever. You can just sign into your account and it will work perfectly. This is because Facebook designs their apps to work on any device, no matter the services installed. All you need to do is sideload the apps and it will work perfectly.
Installing Facebook is also super easy to install
Open APK Pure
Search for “Facebook”
Select Facebook and click “install”
Facebook is now installed and works, sign in and catch up with your friends.
Twitter, like Instagram, doesn’t require any PWAs or require GMS. All you need to do is side load the app and it works! Just like Telegram, it won’t be able to find your location. This generally isn’t an issue though, you can just type in a location to find it. Installing this is just as simple as the others, all you need to do is sideload the APK and it will work.
Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps I’ve ever used. Luckily, it works perfectly without GMS. Unlike Telegram, every feature in the app works. All you need to do is side load the app. You can install this through APK Mirror or APK Pure.
Installing Instagram is something you can do in a snap
LinkedIn actually works really well without GMS. Everything about the app works so you can check in on your contacts really easily. The only thing that won’t work is signing in with Google, but that’s not a huge deal since you can just sign in using your email. Everything else about the app works.
Installing LinkedIn is just like installing most other apps.
Spotify is one of the great apps that doesn’t require GMS what-so-ever. All you will need to do is install the APK through APK Pure. Spotify does use split APKs which means you won’t be able to sideload just once APK like many other apps. Once installed, it will function normally. You can sign in using Facebook or your Spotify account, everything works.
YouTube is by far the largest video media site on the internet. It has almost every video you would ever want to watch. It has so much and can entertain you for hours on end. Sadly, YouTube requires GMS as it is a Google app. Luckily, there are alternatives.
The first alternative is just using the YouTube website. You can go to YouTube.com on the Huawei Browser and have full access to your account. It will also allow you to sign into your account and view all your recommended videos.
The next way to get it working is using YouTube Vanced and MicroG. Luckily, neither of these apps require root. Installing is pretty simple as well.
Download the MicroG and YouTube Vanced APKs
Install both MicroG and YouTube Vanced
You can now sign into your Google account and view all your recommended videos and subscriptions
Google Photos is the absolute best service Google has ever released. It allows you to store all your photos in a high quality formats. This is an amazing service, but sadly, it will crash without GMS installed. That means you won’t be able to use the Google Photos app. Instead, you can use the website. The Google Photos website allows you to view every picture you’ve taken and synced with Google Photos along with allowing you to upload photos to Google Photos.
Alternatively, you can use the Huawei Gallery app. The Huawei Gallery app allows you to sync data with Google as well. Using stock apps on your phone is always better than alternatives, so syncing with Huawei Gallery with Google data could really be your best bet.
If you aren’t into Huawei’s Gallery and want to use Google Photos, you can use the Google Photos website. It is really simple, all you need to do is sign into the mobile website through the Huawei Browser app. It has a great and easy to use UI along with the ability to upload photos.
Believe it or not, Google Maps is one of the few Google apps that actually works on EMUI 10 without Google apps. The full app doesn’t work, but the main and most important ones do. You are able to search for locations and navigate to the location. You can’t sign into your account or use previous locations through location history, but the main, and most important, parts of the app works.
To install Google Maps, its actually really simple.
Booking.com is actually one of those great apps that don’t require GMS. Everything about the app works except for signing in with Google. That’s not a problem though, you can sign in with either Facebook or your email.
Installing Booking.com is actually pretty easy.
Open the Huawei App Gallery
Search for “Booking.com”
Select Booking.com and install the app
Enjoy finding deals on your next vacation
Uber
Uber sadly does use Google for a lot of their services, but do not fret, it still works. You can enter two addresses and easily call an Uber between the two locations, but it will not be able to find your current location otherwise. You’ll be able to use a credit card or PayPal to pay, but Google Pay will not work.
To install Uber, it’s as simple as installing the app.
Go to APK Pure
Search for “Uber”
Select Uber then click “Install”
Go wherever you want, you’re just an Uber away.
Look, Google services are a huge part of Android, but that doesn’t mean you need them. It’s not going to be a perfect experience using a Huawei Mate 30 Pro without Google apps, but it works and most important services you might be interested in running on the phone should work well. There will be an outlier here and there, but most of the time it will be fine.
I bought my Mate 30 Pro, the Chinese LIO-AL00 variant, before the Google app ban and I was disappointed to see it was. As I used the phone without Google apps, I realized that they are less and less necessary if you are willing to work around it. The hardware and cameras are just so good, it’s worth the trade-off of ease of use for that amazing hardware and camera.
We thank Huawei for sponsoring this post. Though Huawei did have input on the topic, the content was written by XDA.Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including servers, developers, writers, and more. While you may see sponsored content alongside Portal content, all of it will be clearly labelled as such. The XDA Portal team will not compromise journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company. Our opinion cannot be bought. Sponsored content, advertising, and the XDA Depot are managed by our marketing director and not the editorial team.
It’s no secret that Huawei’s latest flagship phones does not support Google Apps. At launch, there was a way to sideload the GMS and Google Play Services, but that was quickly taken down. That leaves us in a weird place. We have this flagship Android phone but a limited app store, the Huawei AppGallery, and no Google apps or services.
We wouldn’t really know this we use require GMS to download or to use. That doesn’t mean there aren’t work-arounds for Google’s own services or some other apps. Below are some of the 10 most popular apps and services and how we managed to get them working on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro without GMS or Google services installed.
APK Pure
Since we don’t have Google apps, that means no Google Play Store. Going around and searching for each new app update and apk as they are released is annoying to say the least. APK Pure is an app store that essentially replaces the Google Play Store. It’s a better service to use than downloading APKs directly because it supports installing split APKs. This means apps like Spotify can be installed through APK Pure even if you can’t sideload the APK normally. It will even handle installing updates!
To install APK Pure, all you need to do is sideload the APK Pure app. Once installed, you can search for and install any apps you please. It makes for a very good replacement to the Google Play Store.
Telegram is one of the apps that doesn’t require GMS at all. You can sideload it and use it normally. The only downside of not having GMS installed is the lack of location services. Many apps, including Telegram, require GMS for finding and sharing your location in an app. Telegram, being one of those apps, won’t have access to your location without GMS. This isn’t a huge deal as every other feature works perfectly. To install this app, you can install it through APK Pure or download it through APK Mirror and install the APK yourself.
Gmail is a bit of a special case. For Gmail, there is no app that will work. Other email apps like Outlook work, but Gmail doesn’t. That doesn’t stop the web version from working. You can easily just go to the Gmail website and have full access to Gmail and your email. It isn’t as great as the app, but in a situation like this, it’s the best you can get and it’s good enough for the basics.
Skype is one of the older and most loved chat platforms. I’ve had it for years and it’s easy to use and honestly just great. Luckily, not having Google isn’t going to stop you from being able to speak to your friends and family on Skype. Everything in the app works perfectly fine without the need for GMS.
WhatsApp is probably one of the most popular chatting apps worldwide. There are over 1 billion people on WhatsApp. WhatsApp can’t just leave you in the dark if you don’t have Google services, so they don’t require it. That’s right, you can use WhatsApp on the Huawei Mate 30 Pro without it. It works perfectly with no features missing.
Installing is as easy as pie as well.
Open APK Pure
Search for “WhatsApp”
Select WhatsApp and install it
Enjoy messaging your friends “What’s up” on WhatsApp
Social Media
Facebook
Last but not least, Facebook. Facebook doesn’t require Google Services what-so-ever. You can just sign into your account and it will work perfectly. This is because Facebook designs their apps to work on any device, no matter the services installed. All you need to do is sideload the apps and it will work perfectly.
Installing Facebook is also super easy to install
Open APK Pure
Search for “Facebook”
Select Facebook and click “install”
Facebook is now installed and works, sign in and catch up with your friends.
Twitter, like Instagram, doesn’t require any PWAs or require GMS. All you need to do is side load the app and it works! Just like Telegram, it won’t be able to find your location. This generally isn’t an issue though, you can just type in a location to find it. Installing this is just as simple as the others, all you need to do is sideload the APK and it will work.
Instagram is one of the most popular social media apps I’ve ever used. Luckily, it works perfectly without GMS. Unlike Telegram, every feature in the app works. All you need to do is side load the app. You can install this through APK Mirror or APK Pure.
Installing Instagram is something you can do in a snap
LinkedIn actually works really well without GMS. Everything about the app works so you can check in on your contacts really easily. The only thing that won’t work is signing in with Google, but that’s not a huge deal since you can just sign in using your email. Everything else about the app works.
Installing LinkedIn is just like installing most other apps.
Spotify is one of the great apps that doesn’t require GMS what-so-ever. All you will need to do is install the APK through APK Pure. Spotify does use split APKs which means you won’t be able to sideload just once APK like many other apps. Once installed, it will function normally. You can sign in using Facebook or your Spotify account, everything works.
YouTube is by far the largest video media site on the internet. It has almost every video you would ever want to watch. It has so much and can entertain you for hours on end. Sadly, YouTube requires GMS as it is a Google app. Luckily, there are alternatives.
The first alternative is just using the YouTube website. You can go to YouTube.com on the Huawei Browser and have full access to your account. It will also allow you to sign into your account and view all your recommended videos.
The next way to get it working is using YouTube Vanced and MicroG. Luckily, neither of these apps require root. Installing is pretty simple as well.
Download the MicroG and YouTube Vanced APKs
Install both MicroG and YouTube Vanced
You can now sign into your Google account and view all your recommended videos and subscriptions
Google Photos is the absolute best service Google has ever released. It allows you to store all your photos in a high quality formats. This is an amazing service, but sadly, it will crash without GMS installed. That means you won’t be able to use the Google Photos app. Instead, you can use the website. The Google Photos website allows you to view every picture you’ve taken and synced with Google Photos along with allowing you to upload photos to Google Photos.
Alternatively, you can use the Huawei Gallery app. The Huawei Gallery app allows you to sync data with Google as well. Using stock apps on your phone is always better than alternatives, so syncing with Huawei Gallery with Google data could really be your best bet.
If you aren’t into Huawei’s Gallery and want to use Google Photos, you can use the Google Photos website. It is really simple, all you need to do is sign into the mobile website through the Huawei Browser app. It has a great and easy to use UI along with the ability to upload photos.
Believe it or not, Google Maps is one of the few Google apps that actually works on EMUI 10 without Google apps. The full app doesn’t work, but the main and most important ones do. You are able to search for locations and navigate to the location. You can’t sign into your account or use previous locations through location history, but the main, and most important, parts of the app works.
To install Google Maps, its actually really simple.
Booking.com is actually one of those great apps that don’t require GMS. Everything about the app works except for signing in with Google. That’s not a problem though, you can sign in with either Facebook or your email.
Installing Booking.com is actually pretty easy.
Open the Huawei App Gallery
Search for “Booking.com”
Select Booking.com and install the app
Enjoy finding deals on your next vacation
Uber
Uber sadly does use Google for a lot of their services, but do not fret, it still works. You can enter two addresses and easily call an Uber between the two locations, but it will not be able to find your current location otherwise. You’ll be able to use a credit card or PayPal to pay, but Google Pay will not work.
To install Uber, it’s as simple as installing the app.
Go to APK Pure
Search for “Uber”
Select Uber then click “Install”
Go wherever you want, you’re just an Uber away.
Look, Google services are a huge part of Android, but that doesn’t mean you need them. It’s not going to be a perfect experience using a Huawei Mate 30 Pro without Google apps, but it works and most important services you might be interested in running on the phone should work well. There will be an outlier here and there, but most of the time it will be fine.
I bought my Mate 30 Pro, the Chinese LIO-AL00 variant, before the Google app ban and I was disappointed to see it was. As I used the phone without Google apps, I realized that they are less and less necessary if you are willing to work around it. The hardware and cameras are just so good, it’s worth the trade-off of ease of use for that amazing hardware and camera.
We thank Huawei for sponsoring this post. Though Huawei did have input on the topic, the content was written by XDA.Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including servers, developers, writers, and more. While you may see sponsored content alongside Portal content, all of it will be clearly labelled as such. The XDA Portal team will not compromise journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company. Our opinion cannot be bought. Sponsored content, advertising, and the XDA Depot are managed by our marketing director and not the editorial team.
Back at Google I/O 2019 earlier this year, the company first showcased the all-new faster Google Assistant. Over the next couple of months, we saw numerous leaks that gave us a clearer picture of what to expect from the updated Assistant. Back in October, we also saw a new compact UI for setting reminders with the Assistant and shortly thereafter, Google finally rolled out the next-gen Assistant with the launch of the Pixel 4 series. However, the updated Assistant only worked in the US at the time of launch. An APK teardown of the Google app revealed strings of code that suggests that the Assistant will make its way to other regions. And now, the company has finally rolled out the new Assistant in 5 more locales.
According to a recent post on the Google Assistant Help forums, the next-gen Assistant is now available in English in 5 new regions, including Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Singapore. The current release falls in line with the information we previously gathered from the APK teardown. Following the rollout, users in these regions will be able to use all the new features Google released for the new Assistant, including faster response times, real-time transcriptions, and offline operation. Users will also be able to make use of the Assistant to perform actions in other Google apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Maps, YouTube and Google Photos. Sadly though, the new Assistant is still limited to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, with no word from the company regarding a wider rollout.
Back at Google I/O 2019 earlier this year, the company first showcased the all-new faster Google Assistant. Over the next couple of months, we saw numerous leaks that gave us a clearer picture of what to expect from the updated Assistant. Back in October, we also saw a new compact UI for setting reminders with the Assistant and shortly thereafter, Google finally rolled out the next-gen Assistant with the launch of the Pixel 4 series. However, the updated Assistant only worked in the US at the time of launch. An APK teardown of the Google app revealed strings of code that suggests that the Assistant will make its way to other regions. And now, the company has finally rolled out the new Assistant in 5 more locales.
According to a recent post on the Google Assistant Help forums, the next-gen Assistant is now available in English in 5 new regions, including Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Singapore. The current release falls in line with the information we previously gathered from the APK teardown. Following the rollout, users in these regions will be able to use all the new features Google released for the new Assistant, including faster response times, real-time transcriptions, and offline operation. Users will also be able to make use of the Assistant to perform actions in other Google apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Maps, YouTube and Google Photos. Sadly though, the new Assistant is still limited to the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, with no word from the company regarding a wider rollout.
