Microsoft launches YouTube app, Google demands it taken down

[Rick]

Google yesterday issued a cease-and-desist letter to Microsoft, demanding Redmond pull its YouTube app from the Windows Phone Store. The app has been available for over a week; however, it violates YouTube's API usage terms. Google says Microsoft has until May 22 to withdraw or change the app before deeper consequences are triggered -- possibly even legal recourse.

Microsoft's primary offense is the app's ability to strip advertisements from YouTube videos -- an entirely deliberate feature, according to reports. Additionally, the WP8-based app provides users with ability to download videos to their devices -- another mark against Microsoft in its use of YouTube's API.

When ZDNet asked Microsoft if something had changed policy-wise, allowing them to release such a YouTube app, the company stated, "Windows Phone invested additional engineering resources against existing APIs to re-architect a Windows Phone app that delivers a great YouTube experience, including support for unique Windows Phone 8 features such Live Tiles and Kids Corner. Microsoft did not receive any additional technical support to create the Windows Phone YouTube app."

Shortly after Google issued its notice, Microsoft responded that it would be "happy to include advertising", but claims it needs Google to provide the "necessary" APIs. An "API" is a set of high-level instructions commonly used in software and web-based services, allowing developers to utilize features in a simplified way.

At the time of this writing, the app is still available for download and there have been no outward signs of Microsoft hustling to remove it.

Microsoft's official response is as follows: 

"YouTube is consistently one of the top apps downloaded by smartphone users on all platforms, but Google has refused to work with us to develop an app on par with other platforms. Since we updated the YouTube app to ensure our mutual customers a similar YouTube experience, ratings and feedback have been overwhelmingly positive.  We’d be more than happy to include advertising but need Google to provide us access to the necessary APIs. In light of Larry Page’s comments today calling for more interoperability and less negativity, we look forward to solving this matter together for our mutual customers."

The "necessary APIs" part is a bit misleading. The APIs Microsoft appears to be interested in are for metadata only; these bits and pieces of information about each video aren't really necessary for displaying ads. Rather, the difficulty for Microsoft is its desire to craft more than just a WP8 app which essentially opens to YouTube's website; the software-maker wants to build an app that follows WP8's tile-based design and sports its own look and feel. To do this though, Microsoft needs access to YouTube's video metadata -- data which Google doesn't seem eager to part with.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/52612-microsoft-launches-youtube-app-google-demands-it-taken-down.html

 

[Tygerstrike]

And it starts again.......
Now its M$ trying to skirt a system. Jeez why cant they all just work together for the benifit of the consumer base instead of just trying to stab ppl in the back for profit.

 

[Lionvibez]

Not a huge deal I can already rip videos directly from youtube as is.

 

[RH00D]

IMO I see it like this:

Microsoft: Please develop your apps for our platform?
Google: Shove your platform where the sun don't shine.
Microsoft: Ok then, we'll do it ourselves I guess...
Google: Wahhh Wahhh, no don't do that! Wahhh

Google should either shut up about Microsoft's app or suck it up and develop their apps for Windows Phone.

It's not like Google is some small startup that can't support WP because they don't have enough money or developers. They're just playing hard ball with Microsoft to spite them.

 

[TheBigFatClown]

IMO I see it like this:

Microsoft: Please develop your apps for our platform?
Google: Shove your platform where the sun don't shine.
Microsoft: Ok then, we'll do it ourselves I guess...
Google: Wahhh Wahhh, no don't do that! Wahhh

Google should either shut up about Microsoft's app or suck it up and develop their apps for Windows Phone.

It's not like Google is some small startup that can't support WP because they don't have enough money or developers. They're just playing hard ball with Microsoft to spite them.

They are competitors, you realize that right? Why would a company help another company who is a competitor.

Google to Microsoft: "Sure, we'll right an application for your mobile phone even though it might cost us billions of dollars".

What you call spite I like to refer to as just plain old common business sense.

 

[Chazz]

IMO I see it like this:

Microsoft: Please develop your apps for our platform?
Google: Shove your platform where the sun don't shine.
Microsoft: Ok then, we'll do it ourselves I guess...
Google: Wahhh Wahhh, no don't do that! Wahhh

Google should either shut up about Microsoft's app or suck it up and develop their apps for Windows Phone.

It's not like Google is some small startup that can't support WP because they don't have enough money or developers. They're just playing hard ball with Microsoft to spite them.

They are competitors, you realize that right? Why would a company help another company who is a competitor.

Google to Microsoft: "Sure, we'll right an application for your mobile phone even though it might cost us billions of dollars".

What you call spite I like to refer to as just plain old common business sense.

" In light of Larry Page?s comments today calling for more interoperability and less negativity, we look forward to solving this matter together for our mutual customers."

Did you listen to the keynote? Google said they are against everything you just said.

 

[Vrmithrax]

IMO I see it like this:

Microsoft: Please develop your apps for our platform?
Google: Shove your platform where the sun don't shine.
Microsoft: Ok then, we'll do it ourselves I guess...
Google: Wahhh Wahhh, no don't do that! Wahhh

Google should either shut up about Microsoft's app or suck it up and develop their apps for Windows Phone.

It's not like Google is some small startup that can't support WP because they don't have enough money or developers. They're just playing hard ball with Microsoft to spite them.

I think you are misunderstanding the situation... Google doesn't have to develop apps for competitors' operating systems, that is entirely up to the programmers of said system - or app developers that work within that ecosystem. It is not Google's responsibility to build specific programs for other companies to use. They may CHOOSE to at some point, if it benefits Google, but they are in no way required to do anything. Google has developed an open system that anyone can link into, provided they follow a few basic rules. This is an example of Microsoft blatantly trying to skirt around those rules, to make their video player app seem cooler.

Google hosts YouTube, and the advertising and viewing hits are what keeps the YouTube lights on - the costs of keeping millions of videos up and available for billions of views is not a trivial thing. Microsoft doesn't care what it costs Google in advertising impact, they just want something to make their phone more attractive. If they can't play by the rules, they should just spend untold billions to make their own version of YouTube, put a huge marketing push behind it to let people know it exists, link it with Bing, and then they can do whatever they want with it. Until then, they need to play by the rules of usage, just like everyone else is supposed to.

 

[RH00D]

They are competitors, you realize that right? Why would a company help another company who is a competitor.

Google to Microsoft: "Sure, we'll right an application for your mobile phone even though it might cost us billions of dollars".

What you call spite I like to refer to as just plain old common business sense.

If that was true then why does Google develop their apps for iOS? Apple is a way bigger threat to Google than Microsoft is.

Google's revenue depends on people using their services. So it would make more sense to develop for as many platforms as possible so that your services, like YouTube, can reach as large an audience as possible.

 

[Jad Chaar]

Google is a bunch of sh*t. MS does their work and they complain. Cool.

 

[Camikazi]

They are competitors, you realize that right? Why would a company help another company who is a competitor.

Google to Microsoft: "Sure, we'll right an application for your mobile phone even though it might cost us billions of dollars".

What you call spite I like to refer to as just plain old common business sense.

If that was true then why does Google develop their apps for iOS? Apple is a way bigger threat to Google than Microsoft is.

Google's revenue depends on people using their services. So it would make more sense to develop for as many platforms as possible so that your services, like YouTube, can reach as large an audience as possible.

Well does Apple still use Google as the default search engine on iOS? Does MS use Google search at all (am guessing they use Bing)? That might be the answer to that question, scratch my back I scratch yours. No reason for Google to help MS if MS won't help Google and no reason to let MS break Google's rules either.

 

[Chazz]

IMO I see it like this:

Microsoft: Please develop your apps for our platform?
Google: Shove your platform where the sun don't shine.
Microsoft: Ok then, we'll do it ourselves I guess...
Google: Wahhh Wahhh, no don't do that! Wahhh

Google should either shut up about Microsoft's app or suck it up and develop their apps for Windows Phone.

It's not like Google is some small startup that can't support WP because they don't have enough money or developers. They're just playing hard ball with Microsoft to spite them.

I think you are misunderstanding the situation... Google doesn't have to develop apps for competitors' operating systems, that is entirely up to the programmers of said system - or app developers that work within that ecosystem. It is not Google's responsibility to build specific programs for other companies to use. They may CHOOSE to at some point, if it benefits Google, but they are in no way required to do anything. Google has developed an open system that anyone can link into, provided they follow a few basic rules. This is an example of Microsoft blatantly trying to skirt around those rules, to make their video player app seem cooler.

Google hosts YouTube, and the advertising and viewing hits are what keeps the YouTube lights on - the costs of keeping millions of videos up and available for billions of views is not a trivial thing. Microsoft doesn't care what it costs Google in advertising impact, they just want something to make their phone more attractive. If they can't play by the rules, they should just spend untold billions to make their own version of YouTube, put a huge marketing push behind it to let people know it exists, link it with Bing, and then they can do whatever they want with it. Until then, they need to play by the rules of usage, just like everyone else is supposed to.

I don't think you understand what google has been doing to keep their apps off windows phone platform. Here is what google has done so far.

They removed EAS support from Gmail and forced windows users to use the crappy IMAP. They blamed Microsoft's proprietary EAS format and said CardDav and CarDal was open and Microsoft should support open platforms. Microsoft is complying but just a few weeks later Google announced they are dropping carddav in favor of a proprietary system.

Google limits windows phone proper use on Gmails mobile website. In order to get around this users had to spoof their phone as an iPhone, and then everything magically works. That's just a few lines of code google has to add.

The third party youtube apps didn't use googles youtube api for a very long time(not sure if they even do now) because they didn't have access. Metrotube(the most popular youtube app) has been broken many times as workarounds have been patched.

Google blocked Maps use from windows phone users.

Google has said they will not produce apps for WP as the market doesn't merit it. There is no monetary gain but, they want this app taking down stating monetary loss. They suggest users use m.youtube.com. The thing is the mobile site doesn't even have ads. They don't want this app on the platform as it doesn't play ads, they don't want to make an app that enables adds and they recommend you using an alternative that doesn't have ads. They gave Microsoft until when? The 22nd? If google adds ad services to the mobile site by then I'll shut up. I doubt they will though.

Google has stated that microsoft won't let them use their services siting proprietary reasons. Skype could be added to gmail, or atleast in the past. In the same breath,basically, google announced that they are dropping support for XMPP(which skype uses and is a standard) for their own proprietary standards.


Microsoft is no saint and both google and microsoft needs to stop their childish bickering, because us customers are the only ones losing. I never buy or sign up to Apple's services because I knew what I'd be getting into and I didn't like it. When I signed up for Gmail when it came out and youtube, I thought I knew what I was getting into. But boy was I wrong. I have no alternative to Gmail and Youtube but that should've been a good thing because those services are great. But now Google and Microsoft are comparing **** sizes and I may have to find something else to use. I don't like that at all.

It's been a long 3 years passive aggressive behavior back and forth, so I can't remember everything in this long road of waiting and asking for google apps/compliance. There is definitely more I'll edit if I remember.

This has nothing to do with markshare, apps, money or ads. They don't like each other for some unkown reason and customers are paying for it.

 

[m4a4]

Hmmm... MS trying to do good for their customers by providing access to a popular service and Google doesn't like that? Man, I never thought that Google would be the company to go downhill like this -_-

 

[Rudy Dajoh]

IMO I see it like this:

Microsoft: Please develop your apps for our platform?
Google: Shove your platform where the sun don't shine.
Microsoft: Ok then, we'll do it ourselves I guess...
Google: Wahhh Wahhh, no don't do that! Wahhh

Google should either shut up about Microsoft's app or suck it up and develop their apps for Windows Phone.

It's not like Google is some small startup that can't support WP because they don't have enough money or developers. They're just playing hard ball with Microsoft to spite them.

I think, it's more like this:

Microsoft: Please develop your apps for our platform?
Google: Google that yourself.
Microsoft: Ok then, we'll do it ourselves I guess...
Google: you violate our rule!!
Microsoft: Then give your code
Google: What?? You need me to type "youtube api" on google search engine?

 

[drjekel_mrhyde]

IMO I see it like this:

Microsoft: Please develop your apps for our platform?
Google: Shove your platform where the sun don't shine.
Microsoft: Ok then, we'll do it ourselves I guess...
Google: Wahhh Wahhh, no don't do that! Wahhh

Google should either shut up about Microsoft's app or suck it up and develop their apps for Windows Phone.

It's not like Google is some small startup that can't support WP because they don't have enough money or developers. They're just playing hard ball with Microsoft to spite them.

They are competitors, you realize that right? Why would a company help another company who is a competitor.

Google to Microsoft: "Sure, we'll right an application for your mobile phone even though it might cost us billions of dollars".

What you call spite I like to refer to as just plain old common business sense.

You mean like how Microsoft is building Google talk into Outlook or Microsoft glass app for Android or how they're building a Office app for Android and iOS in 2014

 

[drjekel_mrhyde]

They are competitors, you realize that right? Why would a company help another company who is a competitor.

Google to Microsoft: "Sure, we'll right an application for your mobile phone even though it might cost us billions of dollars".

What you call spite I like to refer to as just plain old common business sense.

If that was true then why does Google develop their apps for iOS? Apple is a way bigger threat to Google than Microsoft is.

Google's revenue depends on people using their services. So it would make more sense to develop for as many platforms as possible so that your services, like YouTube, can reach as large an audience as possible.

Well does Apple still use Google as the default search engine on iOS? Does MS use Google search at all (am guessing they use Bing)? That might be the answer to that question, scratch my back I scratch yours. No reason for Google to help MS if MS won't help Google and no reason to let MS break Google's rules either.

You can change your search to Google instead of bing in WP

 

[Rudy Dajoh]

My answer for M$:
Google "youtube api" and you'll get the API in no time.. Try that

 

[Guest]

It seems to me Google has become the new Microsoft... Do No Evil - BS!

 

[Codepimp]

And here I thought Google was all about sharing the internet

 

[cliffordcooley]

And here I thought Google was all about sharing the internet

They are sharing every damned advertisement they a can promote, and making sure they are seen by all. I actually enjoyed Youtube once upon a time. Now I spend as little time as possible watching their ads, regardless of how many videos I would like to see.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

And here I thought Google was all about sharing the internet

They are sharing every damned advertisement they a can promote, and making sure they are seen by all. I actually enjoyed Youtube once upon a time. Now I spend as little time as possible watching their ads, regardless of how many videos I would like to see.

You should try using Ad Block. It works.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Bah! They're like petty little children going at it. Both companies have more than enough money. Why can't they learn to play nicely?

 

[TheDevopsGuy]

Meanwhile the battle for power over the pc world continues.

 

[cliffordcooley]

You should try using Ad Block. It works.

If you tell me that using Ad Block will cast a vote of negativity toward the use of ads, I will consider. If Ad Block simply ignores the ads, I don't want to cast a silent false sense of comfort vote with the use of ads.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

If you tell me that using Ad Block will cast a vote of negativity toward the use of ads, I will consider. If Ad Block simply ignores the ads, I don't want to cast a silent false sense of comfort vote with the use of ads.

You can set it up to your liking. I use it alongside Do Not Track Me. I get very few ad's but bear in mind I use Chrome browser. With another browser your mileage may vary.

 

[supertech]

Good for Microsoft. I don't like these conglomerate powerhouses holding end users hostage. I want the best experience possible and all companies including Google should strive to provide that experience to me.