Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cloud
    • Cloud

    Google Blocking Amazon Fire TV, Echo Show Users From YouTube Access

    Written by

    Jaikumar Vijayan
    Published December 7, 2017
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Users of Amazon’s Fire TV may soon be unable to view YouTube content from their device as a result of an escalating business battle between Amazon and Google.

      Google has said that starting Jan. 1, it will block people using Amazon’s digital media player from directly accessing and viewing YouTube videos. Fire TV users attempting to access YouTube are currently being served messages informing them about the planned move. Google has already started blocking YouTube access to people using Echo Show, Amazon’s new smart speaker with an integrated display.

      Google is taking the action in response to what it says is Amazon’s recent behavior in relation to Google’s products and services. The immediate impetus appears to have been a recent decision by Amazon to stop selling products from Nest Labs, a Google subsidiary that makes a range of smart home products. But the search giant is also miffed at Amazon’s treatment of several other Google technologies.

      “We’ve been trying to reach agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each other’s products and services,” a Google spokesman said in emailed comments to eWEEK, Dec. 6.  “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.”

      As the result of this lack of reciprocity Google has decided it will no longer allow access to YouTube from Fire TV and Echo Show units, Google said. “We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon.”

      An Amazon spokesman did not provide any light on the reasons for the company’s allegedly shoddy treatment of Google’s products. In an emailed statement, the company merely expressed disapproval of Google’s plans and said it was working on resolving the issue.

      “Echo Show and Fire TV now display a standard web view of YouTube.com and point customers directly to YouTube’s existing website,” Amazon said. “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.”

      The spat between the two largest Internet companies—both of whom have a near monopolistic presence in their respective segments—is not sitting well with users caught in the cross fire.

      Some Twitter users Wednesday were quick to characterize the tit-for-tat actions by the two companies as a display of childish petulance that only hurts consumers. “Come on @AmazonUK  & @Google,” Twitter user Neil James said. “You’re behaving like children, it’s time to sort your s*** out and stop punishing YOUR CUSTOMERS”.

      “Great work at ruining the experience of YouTube on FireTV,” Twitter user Dominique said. “Sort out your differences and put the customer first.”

      The Google and Amazon dispute over YouTube highlights the tensions stemming from the growing business rivalry between the two companies recently. With the enormous success Amazon’s web retailing business getting to a point it’s has begun to push many brick and mortar organizations out of business altogether, Google has begun collaborating with some of them to counter the trend.

      Google for instance has entered into partnerships with retailing giants such as Walmart and Target to enable consumers to buy tens of thousands of products from both retailers using voice commands via the Google Express service.

      Such moves could exacerbate the tensions between the two companies and trigger more actions like the one to block YouTube.

      Jaikumar Vijayan
      Jaikumar Vijayan
      Vijayan is an award-winning independent journalist and tech content creation specialist covering data security and privacy, business intelligence, big data and data analytics.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×