Amazon Echo Show’s product tag should read, “Alexa can show you things now*”. *except for YouTube.
In a fire statement made to our colleagues over at the Verge on 9/26, we’ve learned that, essentially, “Youtube on Echo Show? Newp!”
OK, so, officially, Google who owns YouTube, said they decided to change accessibility to their sites. This means YouTube, which was available on Echo Show, is not any longer. Of course, they made this awesome /s decision without any notification to customers. Google claims that there is no technical reason for it either which they supposedly recognize is “disappointing”and “hurts customers.” Thanks for the false empathy Google.
So what is going to happen if The Show can’t access one of the most popular video sites on the internet?
Google says they’ve been negotiating with Amazon for a long time working towards a solution and showing the world they can play nice. Generally speaking, it’s a bad idea to make the internet mad. Lots of people use Youtube on Echo Show, hopefully the two titans can resolve this issue.
Google claims that Amazon’s “implementation of YouTube on the Echo Show violates [their] terms of service, creating a broken user experience”. What could that broken experience be? Ads. Not a part of the experience I’d mind being broken, but whatevs.
But could Amazon use this slip-up as an opportunity to further their plans to take over the world? Beginning as a bookseller, Amazon is now a retailing giant. Their reach is far. This could be a boon for Amazon Prime Movies and TV, especially if they create a sub-site or area for user generated content. It’s a risky game they’re playing, and, unfortunately it’s only customers who lose out if something big doesn’t happen.
