With Amazon not stocking the Google Chromecast, the search giant has responded by removing its most popular app YouTube from Amazon’s streaming devices, the Fire Stick and Fire TV.
A feud between two of the biggest internet companies has developed — and while this isn’t a good thing for either of them, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Amazon is known to stay clear of listing competitor products on its website, at least from its own distribution network.
Third party sellers can still sell such products — but it is a classic Amazon strategy not to sell products that directly compete with their own releases. You won’t see an Apple TV selling on Amazon as it competes with Amazon’s own Fire Stick, likewise with the Chromecast.
Similarly, Amazon removed iPads from the website as soon as it released its own version of the tablet, and of course, the Kindle.
Google says it’s taking this extreme step because of Amazon’s recent de-listing of new Nest products (like Nest Secure and the E Thermostat).
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By GlobalDataAmazon responded to Google removing YouTube saying:
Google is setting a disappointing precedent by selectively blocking customer access to an open website.
Nonetheless, the Amazon Fire Stick still has a web browser which YouTube can be accessed from.
This is simply petty on Google’s behalf and it may drive down views on YouTube.
Although let’s be honest — YouTube is too big to avoid and Google knows that by acting like this, it might just have the smallest chance of Chromecasts and its other products being sold on the Amazon website again at some point.
But regardless of the public stance both companies take over the next few days, it is ultimately their own customers who are getting kicked around and many people use the products and services of both companies.
YouTube is a showcase app for many TVs in the living rooms of many households, and for Google to just strip that away from its own customers is ridiculous.
Google’s reaction may have come from Amazon’s previous behaviour.
Amazon waited years until it released a proper Prime Video app for the Android market via the Google Play Store, until earlier this year, when Amazon allowed this download.
Previously, Android users had to download it from the Amazon App Store, which didn’t stock many apps and was overly time-consuming for users to download Prime Video.
Even to this day however, Prime Video does not work on the Google Chromecast and Amazon only has itself to blame for ending up in this mess.
Companies like these two, who have mutual customers should aim to work together in providing the best for its customers.
Even if it is better for business revenues to bring down products and services from competitor websites and devices, it is the customer that is picking up the pieces.
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