Amazon still has no idea why Google pulled Youtube from the Echo Show
Even as Amazon unveiled a whole new collection of Echo devices, it was still smarting from one major partner's decision to block video content from its big-screen Echo Show.
"It was a surprise to us," said Amazon SVP and devices lead Dave Limp when asked on Wednesday about why Google had pulled YouTube off of the Echo Show device.
It was, until yesterday, Amazon's only Echo product with a display. That, along with its powerful audio system and voice-enabled digital assistant Alexa made Echo the perfect platform for making a simple video request: "Alexa, show me cat videos."
Google has yet to fully explain its decision, which left Amazon, Limp, and potentially existing Echo Show customers frustrated. It also means the new small-screen Echo Spot, which Amazon unveiled on Wednesday, can't play YouTube videos, either.
Amazon, according to Limp, believes a lot of Show users were consuming YouTube video on the platform and enjoying it, and he's anxious to return that experience to those customers who ponied up $229 for the boxy device.
"What I’ve said to Google," said Limp, "is just tell us where we weren’t compliant with the APIs and we’ll send a team down to Mountain View tomorrow -- I’ll send one tonight -- and we’ll get the product back in line."
Limp's statement, though, runs somewhat counter to Google's official comment, which claims that "Amazon’s implementation of YouTube on the Echo Show violates our terms of service, creating a broken user experience."
If that's the case, perhaps Google just needs to communicate which specific part of the TOS the YouTube-on-Echo Show experience is violating.
"They just haven’t told us what’s wrong with it," insisted Limp. He added that it might be time for Show customers to ask Google what needs to be done. "Ask them what to fix and we’re committed to fixing it," said Limp.
When reached for comment, a Youtube spokeperson disputed Amazon's claim and reiterated this official comment:
"We’ve been in negotiations with Amazon for a long time, working towards an agreement that provides great experiences for customers on both platforms."
[Updated with comment from YouTube.]
Topics Alexa Amazon Amazon Echo Google YouTube
Lance Ulanoff was Chief Correspondent and Editor-at-Large of Mashable. Lance acted as a senior member of the editing team, with a focus on defining internal and curated opinion content. He also helped develop staff-wide alternative story-telling skills and implementation of social media tools during live events. Prior to joining Mashable in September 2011 Lance Ulanoff served as Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for the Ziff Davis, Inc. While there, he guided the brand to a 100% digital existence and oversaw content strategy for all of Ziff Davis’ Web sites. His long-running column on PCMag.com earned him a Bronze award from the ASBPE. Winmag.com, HomePC.com and PCMag.com were all been honored under Lance’s guidance.He makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Fox News, the Today Show, Good Morning America, Kelly and Michael, CNBC, CNN and the BBC.He has also offered commentary on National Public Radio and been interviewed by newspapers and radio stations around the country. Lance has been an invited guest speaker at numerous technology conferences including SXSW, Think Mobile, CEA Line Shows, Digital Life, RoboBusiness, RoboNexus, Business Foresight and Digital Media Wire’s Games and Mobile Forum.
