Google has made some resolutions for the year of 2018 – to stop allowing the devices that stream Amazon Fire TV to use YouTube. This is just a part of an ongoing process, which had earlier prevented a workaround that was introduced by Amazon for the purpose of restoring the access to YouTube on a screen based aspect of its smart speaker. Amazon had also recently ceased to sell online a number of hardware products from Google, including the Nest-branded smart home kit, an updated version of its thermostat, and a home security system. In addition, Amazon has, since 2015, refused to be compliant in the selling of Google’s audio streaming dongles and Chromecast video.
This recent development is happening around the same time as Amazon’s release of its Prime Video app for Apple TV. Without the app, Apple’s set top box was missing some advantageous factors with the line up of Amazon Fire TV.
Owners of Amazon Fire TVs have reported that while watching YouTube clips, an alert pops up to warn them about the loss of YouTube function on the first of January, 2018. In a statement, Google has said that they have been attempting to achieve an agreement with Amazon to offer users access to the other’s services and products, but since Amazon no longer provides products from Google like Google Home and Chromecast, it makes Prime Video unavailable for Google Cast consumers, so last month they have ceased to sell some of the latest products from Nest. Google also said that they no longer are giving support to YouTube on Fire TV and Echo Show, but hope that the issues can be resolved soon.
In September, Google had, on the basis that the software was altered by the retailer, ceased to permit Amazon’s Echo Show speakers from playing YouTube videos. Amazon’s version hadn’t been updated at the time, but then was later restored in November.
A popular feature of Echo Show was to search YouTube videos by voice, but Techcrunch says they believe their rights were violated based on Amazon overlaying its voice controls.
Amazon’s response was, “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”.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-42251531
