 "Microsoft meets Google midway with YouTube for Windows Phone app update")
Microsoft has updated YouTube for Windows in a move to address some of the concerns Google had about the app. The refresh comes on the very day Google had asked Microsoft to pull it from the Windows Phone Store in its cease-and-desist letter.
The revamped app complies with some, but not all of Google’s terms of services. The update ensures that users will not be able to download YouTube videos using the app anymore. While this is one place where Microsoft has bowed to Google’s terms, the company has still not enabled the display of advertisements within the application, which was another bone of contention between the two companies.
No more downloading videos using the app
“Microsoft updated the Windows Phone YouTube app to address the restricted video and offline video access concerns voiced by Google last week,” a spokesperson from Microsoft said in a statement. “We have been in contact with Google and continue to believe that our two companies can work together to hone an app that benefits our mutual customers, partners and content providers.”
Microsoft, in January, had accused Google of hindering the development of a full-fledged YouTube app for Windows Phone. Earlier in May, Microsoft finally managed to launch a native YouTube app much to the joy of Windows Phone users. The app earlier was nothing more than a glorified wrapper that redirected users to the mobile site of the video hosting service.
Unfortunately, Windows Phone users’ delight was short-lived as Google issued a cease-and-desist letter to Microsoft to block or pull the app from its store. Amongst problems like video download and non-availability of ads, the main point of contention was that Google didn’t give the go ahead for the app before it was launched.
Microsoft’s update to YouTube shows that the company is willing to meet Google halfway over this issue, all for the benefit of Windows Phone users. Google too would do well if it could resolve this issue with Microsoft soon enough by letting the company develop YouTube further.
You can download YouTube for Windows Phone 8 from the Windows Phone Store here or you can simply update the app if you already have it. Remember, you will no longer be able to download videos using the app post the update.
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