UPDATED · News · 16 May 2013 · MTW Editorial Team
Anyone who downloaded the newest Windows Phone 8 YouTube application released last week and developed by Microsoft saw this one coming a mile away. This particular application allows users to download/pre-cache videos, doesn’t display ads and can also playback restricted videos. Three consecutive strakes that are forbidden by Google’s Terms of Services. It only took the Mountain view company more than a week to send Microsoft a cease and desist letter asking for the removal of the application before May 22 (read the whole letter after the break).
Unfortunately for the search giant this was nothing more than a clever trap set by Microsoft aimed at putting Google’s hypocrisy in the spotlight as seen in Microsoft’s answer to the C&D letter:
“YouTube is consistently one of the top apps downloaded by smartphone users on all platforms, but Google has refused to work with us to develop an app on par with other platforms. Since we updated the YouTube app to ensure our mutual customers a similar YouTube experience, ratings and feedback have been overwhelmingly positive. We’d be more than happy to include advertising but need Google to provide us access to the necessary APIs. In light of Larry Page’s comments today calling for more interoperability and less negativity, we look forward to solving this matter together for our mutual customers.”
It should be noted that m.youtube.com doesn’t display ads either same for all the other third party YouTube player apps on any platform… Google you got Scroogled. You can download the Windows Phone 8 YouTube app here.
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