14 DAY TRIAL // The Windows Phone YouTube app is once again creating tensions between Google and Microsoft, who aren't exactly friendly at the best of times. It's only been a few days since Microsoft published a new YouTube app for its mobile platform and Google has blocked this one as well.
The new app came as a response to a previous version of the app, also built by Microsoft, which Google also believed didn't respect YouTube's terms of service.
The previous app didn't have ads and also enabled users to download videos, two very clear violations of the developer terms.
Google also didn't make available the necessary APIs for a native Windows Phone app to work properly. So Microsoft went back to the drawing board and built a new HTML5-based app, with ads, which could tap into the existing YouTube APIs.
That seemed to be the end of it, but Google thought otherwise. It believes this new app is also in violation of its terms and rescinded the API keys Microsoft used, leaving the app useless.
The Mountain View giant explains that Microsoft hasn't made the necessary "browser upgrades" for full YouTube "experience," whatever that means. Meanwhile, Microsoft calls Google's reasons "manufactured."
Once again, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle and, once again, Google is shooting itself in the foot with vague statements and very little communication. Meanwhile, Microsoft is again on full offense, taking Google to task over the blocks.
From the outside, it's hard to tell which one company is right, if any of them are, but in the PR game, it's clear that Microsoft is winning.
In fact, Microsoft wins either way, if Google relents and leaves the app alone, Windows Phone users finally get a proper YouTube app. If Google continues to act like this, Microsoft can whine about how unfair Google is.
The silliest part is all of this is unnecessary. If Google believes Microsoft is in the wrong, it should come out and say exactly how Microsoft is violating the developer terms, leaving the Redmond company no avenue of defense.