back to article Microsoft tweaks WinPhone YouTube app to fix Google gripes

Microsoft has issued an update to its YouTube app for Windows Phone 8 that addresses some of Google's concerns over the earlier version, but not all of them. Google's streaming-video division sent Microsoft a takedown request for the earlier version of the app last week, claiming that it violated YouTube's terms of use by …

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  1. bilston
    Paris Hilton

    Lovers spat surely ?

    Perhaps not

  2. Aoyagi Aichou
    WTF?

    Guess who's here

    [...]disable the app for customers who have already downloaded it."

    Yes, that's what I want from my so-called smartphone - OS creator disabling applications I installed. Bah. I clearly remember that on N95 I didn't even need to download any "apps" to view Youtube videos, the preinstalled player handled it just fine. Software is going backwards :-/

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Guess who's here

      The "pre-installed player" is separate from the app, and as far as I can tell will therefore continue to play YouTube videos in full screen when a link is clicked. The issues is specific to a YouTube App not the ability to watch the videos per se.

      1. big_D Silver badge

        Re: Guess who's here

        Yep, the original YouTube player is very basic and, like the original iOS app is a long way behind the times. Apple canned that one and Google made a new app with modern features.

        They don't want to do that on WP8, so Microsoft did it themselves, using the APIs that they allegedly had access to (i.e. not the advertising API, as they were pulling feeds from the mobile site, which doesn't do adverts). They were also a bit naughty by allowing users to "cache" the videos for offline viewing - a useful feature, if you are about to get on a 10 hour flight!

  3. Nanki Poo
    Joke

    Hmmmm . . .

    " . . . but there's nary a word about displaying ads, which presumably is a more immediate financial concern for YouTube."

    It's WinPhone, I don't see any major dent happening.

    nK

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Hmmmm . . .

      Bigger than Blackberry now. A tenth of iPhone and growing. Just saying.

      1. David Black
        WTF?

        Re: Hmmmm . . .

        "Bigger than Blackberry now. A tenth of iPhone and growing."

        Source? Including established user bases? Bollocks - just sayin'.

        1. Phoenix50
          Stop

          Re: Hmmmm . . .

          Source:

          http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24108913

          "Including established user base"? What, like saying Sony has overtaken Panasonic in TV sales, but then complaining that there are way more Panasonic TV's out there in use so it's meaningless?

          Tripe.

          1. David Black

            Re: Hmmmm . . .

            Tripe? Really, I take it you don't develop applications, the established user base is "slightly" critical as a potential market.

            http://www.zdnet.com/android-accounts-for-74-percent-of-smartphones-sold-in-q1-samsung-reigns-7000015335/

            Gartner's figures for Q1 still show Win Pho behind RIM though more like a seventh of iOS.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So once it is fully "fixed", it will have lost any sense of worth?

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    OReally?

    "but there's nary a word about displaying ads, which presumably is a more immediate financial concern for YouTube."

    All 100 genuine bonafide Windows Phone users? I don't think Google have too much revenue to lose from them...

    1. Phoenix50
      Stop

      Re: OReally?

      Obligatory reply to the amusing comment about there only being a small number of Windows Phone users.

      World: resume.

  6. GrantB
    Facepalm

    "...cheerily observes that it can't want to roll up its sleeves..."

    I had to read that twice, assume it should be "...cheerily observes that it can't wait..."?

    One thing I don't get; I thought the first rule of web app security was 'never trust the client', so why would Google have to ask MS nicely to please insert ads or implement controls?

    I get that Google want to float targeted adverts and not force them to be part of the content stream, but guess they can simply turn off the API for MS clients, so MS don't really have a lot of room to refuse any demands if they want to produce a custom app for YouTube.

    Is this really a WP8 app only issue? Would have thought MS would have provided a YouTube app on W8/W8RT as well.

  7. Blarkon

    Google could release their own app

    Google could release their own app for both Windows 8 and Windows Phone. Just like they have on other platforms.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Google could release their own app

      Is it worth it troubling themselves for so few users? Now that I think f it, is there a Google Maps app for WinPhone?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Google could release their own app

        WinPhone doesn't need a Google Maps app. The Nokia one is free and better, with proper offline capability not the rather rubbish Google version which requires you to cache specific areas in advance and then still usually ends up wanting to use a data connection to actually find your starting point.

        1. David Black

          Re: Google could release their own app

          "WinPhone doesn't need a Google Maps app. The Nokia one is free and better"

          While I'm a big fan of offline map use, it really is about getting you to your destination (and preferably the actual destination you were intending). Much as I dislike feeding the spymasters, there's nothing that comes close to Google Maps for getting you where you want to be.

          Wouldn't you at least like the choice on your Win Phone? Or maybe you know where to find the good astroturf shops.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Google could release their own app

            Nokia has online and offline maps. WinPhone is probably one of the best phones for maps and location services. There's lots of Nokia apps for free for GPS, location based services and maps.

          2. Getriebe

            Re: Google could release their own app

            My 820 using Here Drive and Here Maps is as good as my Oregon400 in the car. OK, on the hillside the map quality on the Oregon is better, but for location even on the uplands the Nokia is damn good.

            Not done any comparison to Google Maps but as the Nokia consistently gets me to where I want to go to, in many European countries, in this case good enough is perfectly good enough.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Windows

        Re: Google could release their own app

        Yes, several. Bloody good too most of em...

  8. Neoc

    Really?

    "...allege that senior Google execs have shut Microsoft out of key APIs..."

    If true, it's a little childish of Google. Having said that: Oy, Microsoft - "Pot -> Kettle -> Black".

  9. Big Van Vader
    Childcatcher

    hmmm

    I wonder if I wrote a skype client for Linux that removed the advertising would Microsoft mind ?

    I could use the excuse that Microsoft has consistently given Linux users a poorer application as opposed to other platforms.

    I of course would call it Skype and use the official Skype logo as well.

    1. mark l 2 Silver badge

      Re: hmmm

      There is an official skype download for linux (skype 4.1) which while i have used it (about 5 months) i haven't seen a single ad on it, unless adblock+ blocks them but i can't see how as its only installed as a firefox plugin.

      1. ratfox

        YouTube must show ads

        Note that Google's hands are rather tied on this point. The only reason they have not lost their lawsuit from Viacom and been sued into oblivion is that they provide with ContentID a way for copyright owners to automatically show ads against their videos uploaded by users. They are simply not allowed to show these videos without ads.

  10. The_Regulator

    If google would play nice with Microsoft there would be no issue here. If you look at recent history though you should take into account the changes google forced with synchronization, the fact that there is no google YouTube app, the fact there is no google maps for windows phone etc. Ohh the fact they have continuously changed various api's to temporarily disable 3rd party WP apps as well.

    I have the original YouTube app created by MS will not be updating it unless necessary as I can download content and have no ads :)

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