In recent times, a clash between Amazon and Google has been seen publicly after access to YouTube was pulled from one of the online retailer’s devices.
On Tuesday, YouTube stopped functioning on Amazon’s Echo Show, which is a voice-controlled assistant in the company of a screen that can display videos and information.
Both companies criticize and throw their statements against each other.
Amazon claimed Google had blocked YouTube on Echo Show “without explanation”.
On the other hand, Google said the Echo Show delivered a “broken user experience”.
Although the Echo Show can play videos from YouTube, it did not offer all of YouTube’s functions like the option for subscribe to channels or provide video recommendations.
“Amazon’s implementation of YouTube on the Echo Show violates our terms of service, creating a broken user experience. We hope to be able to reach an agreement and resolve these issues soon.” Google said in a statement.
“We’ve been in negotiations with Amazon for a long time, working towards an agreement that provides great experiences for customers on both platforms.”
Conversely, Amazon said in its statement: “Google has chosen to no longer make YouTube available on Echo Show, without explanation and without notification to customers.
“There is no technical reason for that decision, which is disappointing and hurts both of our customers.”
The removal of rival’s products from platforms by tech giants is not a new trick but an old remedy.
In 2013, Google ordered Microsoft to take out its unofficial home-made YouTube app from the Windows Phone store, apart from of not providing an authorized app.
The reason behind this step was revealed by stating that Microsoft’s app violated its terms of service by allowing users to download videos and hiding advertisements.
In 2016, Jeff Bezos who is Amazon chief executive said, the retail giant had stopped selling the Apple TV video-streaming box, for the reason that two companies had not agreed “acceptable business terms” to take in Amazon’s Prime Video service on the device.
It is important to mention here that currently both Amazon and Google are developing their rival voice-controlled smart home speakers, which can operate as a gateway to profitable services.
“Both companies are coming into conflict because they are competing for the same new growth opportunities – in this case, around the smart home,” said Ian Fogg, an analyst at the IHS Markit consultancy.
