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Google is reportedly in the process of removing YouTube support for Amazon’s Echo Show device. This will also reportedly be followed by removal of support for the YouTube app on Fire TV and its related devices. This comes from a report out of Engadget which credits a confirmation statement form Google on the removal of support.
While this seems like a bold move on the part of Google it is understood to be part of a much wider and ongoing issue between Google and Amazon. Neither company has seemingly been hugely interested in promoting each others services and products, although the statement released today suggests Google had been looking to remedy the situation. With the statement going on to suggest an agreement between the two companies was from close to being reached and specifically noting there is a “lack of reciprocity” on Amazon’s behalf. Which based on the comments highly suggests Google is not only unhappy with the lack of software reciprocation (such as wider and greater access to Prime Video through its products and services), but also Amazon’s lack of commitment to selling Google-branded hardware devices via its retail platform, with the Google Home and Chromecast being two such examples.
When it comes to the Amazon Echo Show however, this is not actually the first time YouTube support had been removed as it was back in September of this year only to be soon afterwards added again. Now, based on the same report and on comments provided by “a person familiar with Google’s thinking on the matter” the re-added support was not official and Google has allegedly taken issue with the quality of the support added. With this being a workaround put-together by Amazon it is not as feature-rich as the YouTube experience Google would probably like Echo Show owners to experience. Although there has also been the suggestion that the workaround may be impacting on Google’s ability to generate ad revenue from those users. The latter thought to be one of the major prompts that has now caused Google to more immediately respond with the pulling of support for the Echo Show which is due to take effect today. Compared to Fire TV devices in general which are due to see their YouTube support officially coming to an end on January 1, 2018. That is, providing an agreement between the two is not reached before then.