The giants are fighting, but all the blows are landing on the little people.
From Variety:
The conflict between Amazon and Google is escalating: Google once again started to block access to YouTube on Amazon’s Echo Show device Tuesday, and is notifying users of Amazon’s Fire TV that they won’t be able to access YouTube anymore starting January 1st.
In an unusually frank statement, a Google spokesperson squarely blamed Amazon’s unwillingness to strike a business deal with Google for the step:
?“We’ve been trying to reach agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each other’s products and services. But Amazon doesn’t carry Google products like Chromecast and Google Home, doesn’t make Prime Video available for Google Cast users, and last month stopped selling some of Nest’s latest products. Given this lack of reciprocity, we are no longer supporting YouTube on Echo Show and FireTV. We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon.”
Amazon shot back Tuesday afternoon, sending Variety the following statement:
“Echo Show and Fire TV now display a standard web view of YouTube.com and point customers directly to YouTube’s existing website. Google is setting a disappointing precedent by selectively blocking customer access to an open website. We hope to resolve this with Google as soon as possible.”
Do you know what this reminds me of?
Reading apps on the Fire tablet.
For as long as Amazon sold Fire tablets they have blocked Fire tablet owners from downloading Kobo, Nook, and other competing apps from the Amazon Appstore.
Amazon has claimed that the apps weren't compatible, but the developers have shown me that Amazon was lying. The apps were tested for compatibility before the Fire tablet launched, and the reality was that Amazon didn't want to play nice with its competitors on its own platform so it blocked the apps.
Now we are seeing a similar situation play out in between Google and Amazon, only this time Amazon is fighting someone large enough to fight back.
Google has enough streaming video market share in Youtube that it can hurt Amazon in ways that no ebook app developer could. Device owners want to use all available services with their device, which is why sales of the Echo Show declined notably after Google first blocked its access to Youtube in September.
And now Google has gone a step further, and started blocking Youtube access from both the Fire TV and the Echo Show. (The Fire tablet remains unaffected at this time.)
While I can appreciate Google's position, they are still punishing users as an indirect attack on Amazon.
A pox on both their houses.
Amazon also does not allow Prime Video to be cast with a Chromecast so Amazon started by not supporting that platform. It is too bad that Google is also blocking YouTube.
“While I can appreciate Google’s position, they are still punishing users as an indirect attack on Amazon.” How else are they suppose to defend themselves. If amazon is not careful they are going to loose online sales across to board with their hardline stance.
I’d like to know why Amazon has never had Amazon Video on Google Play (and yes, with Chromecast support). It is not nice for their own customers. I have never heard justification from either Amazon or Google.
There’s Amazon Prime Video on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.avod.thirdpartyclient
The Prime Video app works on the phone/tablet and has been available for but a while but it does not allow casting (directly sending video content to a TV with a chromecast).
Thanks, I had not checked it for some time – but never saw any announcement about it changing. Used to have to install Amazon Store app from amazon.com which had amazon App Store embedded in it, then install Video app from there. Glad that is no longer required, it was awful.
But they should support Chromecast. Why don’t they? Does Google require ‘tribute’ for it? Hmm, and do any other Amazon apps (Audible, Amazon Music) support it?
[…] (via Variety & The Digital Reader) […]