Living with a P40 Pro

[wakawaka89]

Hi ive recently got my new Huawei P40 pro, I’m loving it so far however at first i found that not every app was available from the Huawei Appgallery. A majority of my apps were phone cloned over but I have found that a few were missing.
I’ve been researching on forums and found that I can download an app called Petal Search. I have done this and found it to be extremely helpful. It has covered all my basis I have even been able to download things such as Netflix on to my device.
Petal search has allowed me to not even notice the lack of GMS and made me think what really is so bad about not having Google on a phone? Im breaking the Google chains and so far im enjoying it!!

 

[wakawaka89]

I have found petal search to be really hepful, moreapps is another one I use but not as much as petal search. I have found the add to shortcut tool very handy. How have you found the lack of GMS?

 

[Wonderbutt88]

Why would you bother with a Huawei? Without Google its pretty much a camera that calls out? Are you not worried about not being able to get any Google apps at all?! That's the whole point of having a smartphone!!

 

[wakawaka89]

Hi Wonderbutt88; I thought I outlined why I had purchased a Huawei in my original post. Huawei's have a fantastic reliability rating and I want something that will give me the option to go to a SIMO if needs be, I also want a fantastic camera- Huawei always have been outstanding in this field.

As for the app front I thought it was pretty clear that I used phone clone to get a majority of my apps over, for the remaining I have used petal search which has in essence given me all the remaining apps that I need! I also have a lot more space on my handset as its not clogged up with Google Music, google playbooks and other things that are preinstalled that I never use and can never fully uninstall.

So my question is why wouldn't you?

I am happy to answer any further questions around the apps if you have any

 

[Morty2264]

Hi ive recently got my new Huawei P40 pro, I’m loving it so far however at first i found that not every app was available from the Huawei Appgallery. A majority of my apps were phone cloned over but I have found that a few were missing.
I’ve been researching on forums and found that I can download an app called Petal Search. I have done this and found it to be extremely helpful. It has covered all my basis I have even been able to download things such as Netflix on to my device.
Petal search has allowed me to not even notice the lack of GMS and made me think what really is so bad about not having Google on a phone? Im breaking the Google chains and so far im enjoying it!!

I see you are a newer user here - welcome to Android Central!

Wow, a P40 Pro! Lucky! And I'm so glad to hear that things are going well, despite the lack of Google Services. That gives me hope that maybe one day, I too can go back to Huawei. How is the camera on this gorgeous device?

 

[wakawaka89]

Hello, thank you!! Its the first time ive joined a forum and I am enjoying reading into the different things people find!!

Im loving the camera. The features and quality of that are what you would expect from Huawei. However, I am also loving not having GMS. I have been tied to google for just over 6 years and I thought id be struggling without it. It was nearly what stopped me from going for it but i looked at what I actually used, the browser and play store. Maps at a push.

Petal search has replaced my playstore, here we go has replaced maps and Huaweis browser has replaced chrome.

Peopla have asked if i missed google pay and no but I never set it up as I dont like the idea of contactless payments!!

It would be interesting to read other peoples views on the phones or better yet experiences. Im sure theres so much that I can still learn so would be great if a couple of others could let me know!!

 

[ptkelly]

Why would you bother with a Huawei? Without Google its pretty much a camera that calls out? Are you not worried about not being able to get any Google apps at all?! That's the whole point of having a smartphone!!

My Huawei P40 pro should be in my hands in about ten days. I did a lot of reading and watched a lot of videos before I ordered the phone. Now, first, every user is unique. I'm quite deaf so I receive zero phone calls and rarely place a call. I do no social media and have no desire to. I also play no games on my phone.

I do have one problem many don't in that I use a chromebook and really enjoy having the same apps on both my phone and my chromebook. That's going to be a problem but I also really enjoy taking photos. I can't tell you now much I've enjoyed my Huawei P30 pro and I extending that.

So, I ordered the P40 pro. It's much like my move to Mexico. I stook on the steps getting off the plane and said to myself, "This will be a wonderful adventure."

But, having read and watched videos about phone clone, and about downloading Google APKs, and about making shortcuts to apps on the web--which I already do for a few things--and having read about new ways to hack the phone to get Google Mobile Services, I'm looking forward to having another wonderful experience.

I do have one question. I generally to a reset a few times a year. If I do a reset do I have to have the wonderful adventure all over again or is everything backed up to Huawei as it is with Google?

 

[doohsun]

Sadly any updates will require you to re-do the whole hack again. I didn't bother with mine I prefer to have the latest updates with them don't care anything about GMS, don't use google pay, I can use a web browser for google drive if I need to. My google maps works but hardly use it anyway so don't care. I use my phone for calling, playing games, mostly taking photos, videos, and music. Get your apps from APK pure, aptoide, peta search. Since Biden has won there are rumors that they will be given back their google license minus the 5G towers which will stay banned.

 

[ptkelly]

Thanks, Dooshun. I have my Huawei and I love the camera. I miss having Google Mobile Services. I asked a local Android Wizard to install the hack and he said it couldn't be done. He said my phone was new enough the hack access was gone. Me? I don't know. Anyway, I proceeded without the hack. Now, a disclaimer. I will be 80 this year, have been taking photos since I was twenty, quit lugging camera gear two years ago, and enjoy mobile photography. I'm also mostly deaf and don't accept phone calls and only make calls under very controlled conditions so I was late to phones. I depend on my phone for messaging and my daily routine and coordinate, or used to, with my chromebook and Google Home Mini. I no Android pro, not a professional photographer, don't do graphic art on my computer, and I'm older than most trees.

I need photos in Google Photos for convenient loading into my emails on my chromebook. It took me a week to find out how to do this conveniently and three days later it quit working. Now, I've found another way but it seems Google is continuing to aggressively deny Huawei access.

I get Google Maps, Google Keep, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts with icons that link to the website. GMail won't run but I can link a GMail account, along with my Telcel Mexico account, in the Huawei mail app. Some of Huawei's apps are the same as Google's but they don't sync data between the two.

So, now that I'm familiar with my p40 pro I really like the camera.


Yesterday, I came close to telling my nephew who has the Huawei p30 pro that I wanted it back and he could have the p40 pro. Getting photos from my phone to Google Photos on my chromebook is a hassle and I can't do Messages on the Web using my chromebook and the p40 pro.

But, I'm struggling on. Of course, China is extremely optimistic about the President-Elect.

 

[ptkelly]

Thanks, Dooshun. I have my Huawei and I love the camera. I miss having Google Mobile Services. I asked a local Android Wizard to install the hack and he said it couldn't be done. He said my phone was new enough the hack access was gone. Me? I don't know. Anyway, I proceeded without the hack. Now, a disclaimer. I will be 80 this year, have been taking photos since I was twenty, quit lugging camera gear two years ago, and enjoy mobile photography. I'm also mostly deaf and don't accept phone calls and only make calls under very controlled conditions so I was late to phones. I depend on my phone for messaging and my daily routine and coordinate, or used to, with my chromebook and Google Home Mini. I no Android pro, not a professional photographer, don't do graphic art on my computer, and I'm older than most trees.

I need photos in Google Photos for convenient loading into my emails on my chromebook. It took me a week to find out how to do this conveniently and three days later it quit working. Now, I've found another way but it seems Google is continuing to aggressively deny Huawei access.

I get Google Maps, Google Keep, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts with icons that link to the website. GMail won't run but I can link a GMail account, along with my Telcel Mexico account, in the Huawei mail app. Some of Huawei's apps are the same as Google's but they don't sync data between the two.

So, now that I'm familiar with my p40 pro I really like the camera.
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Yesterday, I came close to telling my nephew who has the Huawei p30 pro that I wanted it back and he could have the p40 pro. Getting photos from my phone to Google Photos on my chromebook is a hassle and I can't do Messages on the Web using my chromebook and the p40 pro.

But, I'm struggling on. Of course, China is extremely optimistic about the President-Elect.