Amazon and Google deliver on TV peace deal

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Amazon

Amazon and Google have drawn a line beneath a long-running dispute by offering their on-demand video companies to every others’ TV platforms.

Amazon’s Prime Video app is now obtainable on Chromecast dongles and is coming to Android-powered televisions and set-top bins.

And Google has launched an official YouTube app for Fire TV gadgets, and is promising a child-centric YouTube Kids version later within the 12 months.

It ends a stand-off that started in 2015.

The dispute began when Amazon refused to promote Google’s Chromecast merchandise on its on-line retailer.

It then escalated in 2017 when the search large first pulled YouTube off Amazon’s Echo Show good screens and then did likewise with the Fire TV vary.

The first proof that the spat may be resolved got here in December 2018 when Amazon started stocking Chromecast merchandise once more.

Then in April 2019, the 2 sides confirmed their feud was at an finish after signing an settlement to offer one another entry to their respective video companies.

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Google

There does, nonetheless, look like a notable omission.

Today’s press releases make no point out of YouTube being returned to the Echo Show, nor do they point out Amazon Prime coming to Google’s rival Nest Hub good shows.

Likewise, Amazon nonetheless doesn’t promote any of Google’s good audio system or screens though it does inventory different Nest-branded gadgets.

Well I’m glad that is (largely) over. This was a petty, anti-consumer tit-for-tat that helped neither firm.

What’s most curious is the way it took so lengthy to resolve – time through which, you’d think about, clients regarded to different companies that might supply each Prime Video and YouTube on the identical platform, comparable to Roku or Apple TV.

Since the row flared up in direction of the tip of 2017, Amazon’s place in on-demand video has turn into significantly stronger – and I feel that is a giant issue on this obvious truce.

Amazon hasn’t stated what number of customers its Prime Video service has, however it’s obtainable to all of its Prime members, of which there at the moment are greater than 100 million.

They get pleasure from – award present judges will let you know – among the most talked-about tv being produced as we speak. And so it was turning into more and more dangerous for Google to not have Prime Video obtainable on the Chromecast.

The identical was true in reverse. The lack of a YouTube app on…