Microsoft and Google are now working together to create a new YouTube app for Windows Phone 8, after an issue that arose between the two companies over the app.
About two weeks ago, Microsoft rolled out a brand new YouTube app for Windows Phone 8. The app received much heat due to the fact that the app had the ability to skip ads and download videos, a violation of Google/YouTube’s terms of use. Eventually, Google caught wind of this and issued a ‘cease and desist’ letter to the software giant, urging them to remove the YouTube app from the Windows Phone Store. Microsoft responded to that letter stating that the software giant was “more than happy” to comply but Google needed to be more flexible with providing the necessary APIs.
Microsoft then rolled out another update to the YouTube app for Windows Phone 8, complying to most of Google’s requests, but not all of them. Now, it appears that Microsoft and Google have reached an understanding and are both working together to create a new app. “Microsoft and YouTube are working together to update the new YouTube for Windows Phone app to enable compliance with YouTube’s API terms of service, including enabling ads, in the coming weeks,” Google stated.
So what exactly does this mean for the YouTube app? Well, the newer app that is expected in the coming weeks will not be like the one Microsoft released. Obviously, the newer app will not have the ability to download videos or skip ads, but it will be interesting to see how this new app will be in terms of functionality. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Further reading: Google, Windows Phone, YouTube
