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Amazon's YouTube App on Fire TV Stops Working Ahead of Schedule (fastcompany.com)

Posted by msmash on from the rat-fights dept.

Amazon has already deactivated its YouTube app on Fire TV devices, four days before a planned blockade by Google. Instead of opening YouTube directly, the app now encourages users to install Silk or Firefox, and will open a link to the site once either browser is installed. From a report: Google has said it will cut off YouTube access on Fire TV starting January 1, citing Amazon's unwillingness to support Prime Video on Chromecast, or to sell Google hardware (including Chromecast) on its website. The companies say they're having productive discussions, and Amazon now has a product listing up for Chromecast, but the YouTube app's deactivation suggests an agreement isn't imminent.

5 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Amazon vs YouTube by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Whoever wins, we lose.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
    1. Re:Amazon vs YouTube by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Amazon has the advantage: more Prime subscribers (with Prime Video) than Play subscribers buying videos. It's using one monopoly to try to expand power into another market (streaming devices). Using their online sales monopoly to tie to their streaming video product and simultaneously hobble a competitor's ability to sell streaming devices and stream video to their devices is ... a complex ball of violations of the Sherman Anti-Trust act.

      Didn't Microsoft get bent over for this once or twice?

      --
      Support my political activism on Patreon.
    2. Re:Amazon vs YouTube by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      Amazon has the advantage: more Prime subscribers (with Prime Video) than Play subscribers buying videos. It's using one monopoly to try to expand power into another market (streaming devices).

      Google has the advantage: a monopoly over Android devices, and their own web store for only their own devices on which they do not carry Amazon's devices. A monopoly over bundling search with Android devices. And of course, a virtual monopoly over user videos on the internet, of anything but gaming, which they are now abusing to try to force Amazon to carry their devices in Amazon's web store even though Google doesn't carry Amazon's devices in theirs.

      Didn't Microsoft get bent over for this once or twice?

      No. The USDoJ did find that Microsoft was guilty of abusing its monopoly position for insisting that PC makers bundle Windows, though. And here Google is insisting that Amazon sell their products.

      Google is the guilty party here, trying to force Amazon to sell something when they don't want to be fair and also sell Amazon's products, and abusing their position (owner of Youtube) to get it done.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. Re:Firefox by Kenja · · Score: 2

    It works well, even has a shortcut tile to YouTube so you just launch and click to get to it.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  3. Re: Just going to blame youtube by kqs · · Score: 2

    The Chromecast works for all of those but Amazon, but that's Amazon's choice.

    The fire works for all of them but YouTube, but that's Amazon's choice.