The Google and Amazon feud intensifies.
Three months ago, YouTube was pulled from the Echo Show apparently as a result of Google's displeasure with the app's implementation on Amazon's device. Shortly after, Amazon retaliated by halting sales of the Nest E Thermostat, Nest Camera IQ, and the Nest Secure alarm system.
It seemed the feud was dying to a halt when Google finally brought back YouTube on the device a couple of weeks ago, albeit in a new, less efficient, and unintuitive form, but even this version will stop working going forward.
YouTube Removed From Amazon Echo Show And Fire TV
In a statement given on Tuesday, Dec. 5, a spokesperson for YouTube announced that the company was again withdrawing the app not just from the Echo Show but also the Fire TV. This is huge. Not being able to stream YouTube videos will surely undercut the diminish the appeal of Amazon's streaming device.
According to the spokesperson, Google has been trying to convince Amazon to "give consumers access to each other's products and services." Yet Amazon still doesn't carry products such as the Chromecast or Google Home and doesn't make Prime Video accessible for Google Cast users.
"Given this lack of reciprocity, we are no longer supporting YouTube on Echo Show and Fire TV. We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon."
Echo show owners will stop getting access to YouTube immediately. Fire TV owners will see a notification warning them that YouTube will go away on January next year. The easiest explanation that can be gleaned from this move is that Google might be hoping that by removing YouTube, a crucial entertainment and educational source, Amazon will be forced to reconcile their relationship, which won't happen until it begins selling Google products on the site.
What This Means For Amazon
Needless to say, a tech product in 2017 that can't access YouTube is a highly undesirable thing. YouTube is one of the most popular video streaming services, and its removal from two of Amazon's most important products will surely disappoint owners. Unfortunately for these folks, they're wedged between a war that has no indication of stopping anytime soon. Unless, of course, Amazon relents.
What's clear is that Google is ready to pull out all the stops and aggressively force Amazon to comply with what it wants. That's not surprising, given how much of its power comes from how popular, even crucial, its products are, YouTube being one of them. Unless Amazon can find another streaming platform as huge and all-encompassing as YouTube, then it basically has no choice in this. Either it succumbs to Google's request or draw the ire of its customers. Take your pick, Amazon.
