Microsoft and Google re-launch YouTube app for Windows Phone

J

Justin Kahn

Posts: 752   +6

microsoft youtube windows phone In what initially appeared to be a big win for Windows Phone owners, just two days later it appears Google has decided to stick it to the old software giant. Microsoft relaunched the YouTube app for WP8 with Google's collaboration two days ago, but now the app has been blocked due to "violations in YouTube's terms of service." Microsoft, for its part, has quickly reacted by posting a blog calling out Google's claim for openness:

Last May, after we launched a much improved app on our platform, Google objected on a number of grounds. We took our app down and agreed to work with Google to solve their issues. This week, after we addressed each of Google’s points, we re-launched the app, only to have Google technically block it.

[...] It seems to us that Google’s reasons for blocking our app are manufactured so that we can’t give our users the same experience Android and iPhone users are getting. The roadblocks Google has set up are impossible to overcome, and they know it.

Google released the following statement justifying the block:

 “We’re committed to providing users and creators with a great and consistent YouTube experience across devices, and we’ve been working with Microsoft to build a fully featured YouTube for Windows Phone app, based on HTML5. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not made the browser upgrades necessary to enable a fully-featured YouTube experience, and has instead re-released a YouTube app that violates our Terms of Service. It has been disabled. We value our broad developer community and therefore ask everyone to adhere to the same guidelines.”

The original story is below:

A new YouTube app for Windows Phone is now available on Microsoft's mobile marketplace. The company originally launched a YouTube app that it built internally in early May, but it was taken down due to a discrepancy with Google. In short, the app violated Google's terms of service, leading to Microsoft being served with a cease and desist request.

The problem revolved around the absence of ads and a feature that allowed users to download videos from within the app. Microsoft was quick to pull the latter but its updated app was still devoid of any ads, blaming Google for not providing the necessary APIs.

Now it appears the two have decided to play nice and work on the native YouTube app for Windows Phone together. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed yesterday that the company has dealt with the issues Google expressed back in May and will now include ads.

That app is now available in the Windows Phone store with a host of new features including video upload support, live video streams and YouTube channel page editing, among other things. The Verge reports that in its hands on test the video uploading only works when the device is charging and connected to WiFi, otherwise the upload is interrupted and fails.

Along with YouTube profile editing and playlist management, the app now allows users to pin channels, videos, search queries and playlists to the home screen with Live Tiles. You can also expect to see the standard social integration, allowing users to share videos directly to there favorite networks, as well as in texts and emails.

Youtube for Windows Phone is available now on both Windows Phone 7.8 and Windows Phone 8.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/53625-that-didnt-last-long-google-blocks-youtube-app-for-windows-phone-again.html

 
I really lost some respect for Google after this incident... MS went through the effort to make an app and it was great. You could download videos and you had an ad free experience. Google marches in and orders MS to remove the app because of lack of ads and the ability to download videos... If Google made the app, I would care. But the fact that MS put in the effort and Google steamrolled it, is just pathetic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spectrenad
Maybe now Google will make more Google apps for Windows Phone and Windows 8.
 
I still find it odd that Google doesn't feature ads in its on YoutTube App --- but cries when MS doesn't include them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: spectrenad
JC713 said:
I really lost some respect for Google after this incident... MS went through the effort to make an app and it was great. You could download videos and you had an ad free experience. Google marches in and orders MS to remove the app because of lack of ads and the ability to download videos... If Google made the app, I would care. But the fact that MS put in the effort and Google steamrolled it, is just pathetic.
Click to expand...
That's like someone using your car all the time, but never filling it up with petrol or giving you a bonus towards your insurance. Freeloading is not feasible in the corporate world.

Oh, and it was clearly in violation of terms of use.
 
St1ckM4n said:
That's like someone using your car all the time, but never filling it up with petrol or giving you a bonus towards your insurance. Freeloading is not feasible in the corporate world.

Oh, and it was clearly in violation of terms of use.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but if Google wanted to make money off the app, they would make it themselves!
 
I've kept the original Microsoft App and exclude it from updates.

It really pathetic that Google pretends to be for the cunsumer, when all they're trying to push is their advertising revenue, How much cash is enough, already? Greedy Shmucks.
 
Hasbean said:
I've kept the original Microsoft App and exclude it from updates.

It really pathetic that Google pretends to be for the cunsumer, when all they're trying to push is their advertising revenue, How much cash is enough, already? Greedy Shmucks.
Click to expand...

That's like saying you hate it when McDonalds sell a burger. They make out like they care about your health and the fat and salt in your meal, when actually they just want to make money! Argh rar rar angry face and whatnot... Whoever heard of a business wanting to make money anyway?
 
  • Like
Reactions: MilwaukeeMike
Now they just need to relaunch an app that doesn't stop and start every five minutes for their Nexus 4 and I'll be happy. Works better than it used to, as it would stop and not start again but feel the current offering has been patched with a workaround.
 
Mshafts own damn fault.... it's called Terms of Service, and I'm sure Microsoft would be fine if Google raped theirs (twice); just kidding, they're even worse about this type of thing.

Microfail is just butthurt that they make more money off patent trolling Android OEMs than they do off their own crappy ecosystem they're unsuccessfully forcing on everyone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wastedkill
negroplasty said:
Mshafts own damn fault.... it's called Terms of Service, and I'm sure Microsoft would be fine if Google raped theirs (twice); just kidding, they're even worse about this type of thing.

Microfail is just butthurt that they make more money off patent trolling Android OEMs than they do off their own crappy ecosystem they're unsuccessfully forcing on everyone.
Click to expand...

"Mshafts and Microfail"? What are you 12?

Also, it seems you don't know what you're talking about. To help you, here's an excerpt from an Ars Technica article I read earlier, for your context comprehension:

Entitled "The limits of Google's openness," the post [written by Microsoft] calls into question Google's 2009 commitment to openness. Google claimed, in 2009, that its "future depends on the Internet staying an open system, and [Google's] advocacy of open will grow the Web for everyone, including Google."

Microsoft says that in creating the YouTube app for Windows Phone, it assumed that the same commitment to openness applied to YouTube. It has complied with Google's demands to show ads and to block access to videos where the creators have restricted distribution. These are changes that, Microsoft argues, should "bring Google new users and additional revenue."

However, Google remains unhappy. Microsoft describes five complaints made by Google. First, the advertising giant is demanding specifically that Microsoft rewrite the application to use HTML5. Microsoft doesn't elaborate on why Google has made this demand but points out that Google's own apps on iOS and Android do not use HTML5. The software company claims that this is a "manufactured" reason, invented only to ensure that the YouTube experience on Windows Phone is inferior to that on iOS and Android.

Second, Google claims that sometimes the Windows Phone app does not show the right ads. Content creators can specify various conditions on the ads that get shown, and Windows Phone apparently does not honor those conditions. Microsoft says that it honors them as best it can, but the app is subject to the constraints imposed by Google's own API.

Third, Google claims that Microsoft is not abiding by the API's terms and conditions. Microsoft says that this too is a reference to the decision not to use HTML5.

Fourth, Google is objecting to the decision to brand the application "YouTube." Although the application states clearly that it is not developed by Google, and although the old, bad YouTube app was also branded "YouTube" without complaint from Google, Google is now unhappy about the use of its name on the new app.

Finally, Google complains that the app offers a degraded experience. This is rather a peculiar claim. It offers a superior experience to the mobile website, and it offers a superior experience to the old, bad YouTube app that Google apparently didn't mind.
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: spectrenad
lawfer said:
negroplasty said:
Mshafts own damn fault.... it's called Terms of Service, and I'm sure Microsoft would be fine if Google raped theirs (twice); just kidding, they're even worse about this type of thing.

Microfail is just butthurt that they make more money off patent trolling Android OEMs than they do off their own crappy ecosystem they're unsuccessfully forcing on everyone.
Click to expand...

"Mshafts and Microfail"? What are you 12?
Click to expand...

Yes I joined this site when I was two. What I am is a MS user that's beginning to become very sick of its antics and output of late. Sorry if I struck a key, I would expect to hurt some feelings with my comments on a site like Neowin but not here...

You're right, and though I don't know exactly what I'm talking about, I'm not wrong. Whether they're little technicalities or not, bottom line is that they are in violation of YouTube's ToS. Microsoft is more than capable of making an app that doesn't violate the ToS, it just chooses not to... cry me a river.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cliffordcooley
I don't think we know all forces involved in this decision, but I'm confident Microsoft has pulled some terms of service BS on other companies.
I wonder if a "small" donation from Microsoft would help resolve this problem.
 
Yeah, how dare Google uphold it's terms of service.

As Microsoft admits it is impossible for them to develop code to make it work.

At least Apple could figure it out.
 
I say screw Google, I don't care for the company anyway! If Google wants their services seen on Windows Phone, they can design the App.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

midian182
YouTube is updating its TV app for better interaction with comments, likes, and more
Replies
6
Views
161
ZedRM
ZedRM
D
Microsoft is quietly installing the Copilot app on Windows PCs
Replies
21
Views
303
whawn
W
Z
The Windows Photos app gets new AI object removal feature
Replies
2
Views
206
erickmendes
erickmendes

Latest posts

Back