[Follow-up: Microsoft: Google’s objections to YouTube app on Windows Phone are ‘nothing more than excuses’]
Two days after we reported that Microsoft and YouTube were getting along again, it seems like their relationship is back on the rocks.
As first reported by The Verge today, Microsoft’s new YouTube app for Windows Phone (i.e., the one that was supposed to be OK with YouTube parent company Google) has been blocked by Google for violating YouTube’s terms of use. Efforts to play videos via the app bring up the error message, “Something happened and we’re not sure what.”
Here’s the statement issued by Google on the decision.
“We’re committed to providing users and creators with a great and consistent YouTube experience across devices, and we’ve been working with Microsoft to build a fully featured YouTube for Windows Phone app, based on HTML5. Unfortunately, Microsoft has not made the browser upgrades necessary to enable a fully-featured YouTube experience, and has instead re-released a YouTube app that violates our Terms of Service. It has been disabled. We value our broad developer community and therefore ask everyone to adhere to the same guidelines.”
Google didn’t specify what the missing features were. In the past, pre-roll advertisements, or rather a lack thereof, have been a major sticking point. The revised app, released earlier this week, included advertising.
This dispute dates back to May, when Google objected to Microsoft’s previous YouTube app and demanded its removal from the Windows Phone app store. Microsoft, which had said earlier this week that the new app addressed Google’s complaints, confirmed in a statement this morning, “Google is blocking our updated YouTube app for Windows Phone. We are working with them to resolve the issue.”
For now, though, it seems like Windows Phone users will have to turn to their browser to get their cat video fix.
Previously on GeekWire: YouTube returns to Microsoft’s Windows Phone, with Google’s support this time
