Back in November, YouTube finally returned to the Echo Show as a basic web wrapper of the desktop site. Today, tensions between Google and Amazon have escalated, resulting in the removal of YouTube from the screened Echo device and more critically the Fire TV line of streaming devices
In a statement to The Verge, YouTube and Google are particularly miffed over last month’s removal of recently announced Nest products, like the Nest E Thermostat, Cam IQ, and Secure alarm system. These smart home devices compete with Amazon’s increasing smart home lineup, though older Nest cameras and products from Nest are still listed on the shopping site.
The YouTube spokesperson also cites how the Prime Video streaming service isn’t available for Google Cast users, while Amazon has long not carried Google Home or Chromecast.
Noting the failure to “reach agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each other’s products and services,” YouTube is no longer supporting the Echo Show and Fire TV. Access on the former product is being disabled today, while the latter starts on January 1, 2018.
Users of the Fire TV streaming devices will see a warning notification beginning today. That lineup is comprised of a streaming Stick and puck, in addition to countless older devices. More recently, there is also Fire TV Edition Smart TV.
Google ends by noting how it hopes an agreement can be reached to resolve these issues.
Google’s full statement is below:
“We’ve been trying to reach agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each other’s products and services. But Amazon doesn’t carry Google products like Chromecast and Google Home, doesn’t make Prime Video available for Google Cast users, and last month stopped selling some of Nest’s latest products. Given this lack of reciprocity, we are no longer supporting YouTube on Echo Show and FireTV. We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon.”
Update: Amazon has also issued a statement, arguing that its devices are using a standard implementation and that Google is “selectively blocking customer access to an open website.”
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.
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