Earlier this month Google announced it would restrict the Chinese firm Huawei's access to its Android operating system. Since then, users around the world have been wondering what this will mean for them. Our correspondent Michelle Begue reports from Colombia, where one in five smartphone users use Huawei. 

Colombia has an estimated 6.8 million people asking the same question: what will the U.S. restrictions mean for Huawei cellphone users? Will my cellphone work in 6 months? Colombia is reportedly Huawei's third most important market in Latin America. According to the UK-based market research company, Euromonitor, of the 12.3 million cellphones sold in Colombia in 2018, 21.8 percent were Huawei.

MAURICIO VELA COMMERCIAL CONSULTANT "The Huawei user is a person looking for a good camera, a good memory, for a more executive and modern person but whose budget isn't that big because the apple phones are very beautiful but very expensive."

Huawei in Colombia reassured users with a statement released on social media. "Huawei will continue to supply security and post-sale service updates to all existing products." 

Samir Stefan, Co-founder of the Colombian tech blog Techcetera, believes the ban will be temporary. But if it isn't, he says the biggest issue will be providing users an alternative to already established means of communicating through Google-based apps.

SAMIR STEFAN CO-FOUNDER OF TECHCETERA "It will not be able to provide them with Gmail, with Google maps. Microsoft will not be able to provide them with Office,  Facebook will not be able to provide with Instagram, WhatsApp, etc., etc. So, in the end, if people can't use those applications you will have a very fragmented market in which someone would have to rise and replace WhatsApp, which is right now the main means of communication in Latin America."

One storeowner selling Huawei already says sales have dropped between 30 to 40 percent. He says he will continue selling Huawei products and doesn't believe in sounding an alarm.

MAURICIO VELA COMMERCIAL CONSULTANT "People are skeptical, and it is normal, because there is bullying and misinformation in Colombian media. So, people start to look for other options. And that disinformation leaves many not knowing what to do. Should they change their cellphone? So, they come here asking for help. But I try to calm their worries, because one way or another, this situation will correct itself."

MICHELLE BEGUE BOGOTA "Colombia's overall cellphone market continues to grow according to experts. Studies conducted by market research firm GFK see a 14.4% rise in cellphones sold in the first four months of 2019 compared to the same period last year. Michelle Begue, CGTN, Bogota, Colombia."