Things are looking good for YouTube to remain accessible on Fire TV devices next year. Google has told The Verge, and multiple other news outlets, that they are in “productive discussions with Amazon to reach an agreement for the benefit of our mutual customers.”
Google began displaying a message on the Fire TV YouTube app, which is just a browser view of YouTube’s website that is made by Amazon. The message informed users that YouTube would no longer be accessible on Fire TVs, Fire TV Sticks, and Fire TV Edition televisions after January 1st, 2018.
Yesterday, Amazon began listing the Google Chromecast once again on their website. Its absence was among the reasons Google had for blocking YouTube access on the Fire TV. It seems now that Amazon’s reinstatement of Google’s streaming device is part of ongoing negotiations.
This is great news for Fire TV owners and is great for consumers in general. Having these two companies be at odds end can only lead to more walls being put up between their content and products. Since both make great hardware and offer great services, it’s best for everyone that they reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
@AFTVnews
AFTVnews
If you would have asked me a year ago I would have cared but now YT is just a cesspool of garbage. Don’t get me started on all the profane videos even with the useless restricted mode turned on.
I can’t even find a decent review of a product I want to buy unless it is a boring unboxing video with no actual review or a video with just music and text done in Movie Maker.
YouTube’s value to me is in individual quality channels that I’m subscribed to. I hardly ever use search or check the trending/recommended videos. If you want a good tech review channel, check out my buddy Lon Seidman.
I wasn’t looking for a tech review channel, but thanks to your remark I’m now a subscriber! Lon does a great job. A nice balance of information to satisfy both the geeks and casual users. I can’t wait to review his collection of past reviews.
Lon is a very valuable resource and seems to be a decent guy.
I already subscribe to his channel (made me buy my next PC) and even Cord cutters news (decided on a Roku). They are great however if they don’t review a product I am going to buy then it is hard.
Forget as for the rest enough with the freaking iPhone reviews I am sick of the 10 X or whatever.
The recommendations can be good, but only after you watch enough quality channels and/or check specific recommendations based on what you’re currently watching.
For example, I eventually got recommended the eevblog, techmoan, the 8bit guy, gamehut, etc.
Most of my subscribed channels were discovered this way.
Channels may also recommend others, ashens eventually lead me to bigclivedotcom when he got mentioned on one episode.
This guy is free to ignore Youtube or subscribe to stuff befitting his taste. He is I suspect a vocal minority. Youtube rocks. I would have a hard time choosing it or even Netflix. I would probably choose Youtube.
Melodramatic much? There’s lots of worthwhile content on youtube. If you watch garbage then I guess you see garbage as recommendations.
Wonder if maybe we will now get an actual app on FTV’s?
I doubt it since the YouTube app, made by Google, for the Android TV is now just an HTML 5 webview, just like Amazon’s current Fire TV app. The only way I see a better YouTube app coming to the Fire TV is if Amazon makes one with the assurance from Google that they’ll have access to the YouTube API without any issues.
I was able to side load that Android TV app recently, but could not login.
Is there any difference? On my Shield TV it seems to be the same as it was on the FTV.
Not sure I understand, but it’s the Youtube experience, but without logging in to watch what you subscribe to it’s not much use to me. The Youtube channel on the Roku has undergone a pretty interesting overhaul recently.
I hope YouTube stays on Fire TV. I enjoy watching YouTube on my TV.
.
Guess they will (have to).
.
If Google does not come to an agreement with Amazon
they risk that Amazon will set up a similar service.
.
Amazon has the means and the reach to be a fierce competitor in that space.
.
Many YT content creators currently are not so happy with the “de-monetization” of their content.
.
Therefore Google should/will not push things too far.
.
.
OK, good.
Anyway, I will stick with Startpage and DuckDuckGo
throughout 2018 and then reconsider.
Fed up with mess like this.
.
.
Since Google wants their Chromecast on the Amazon site, maybe Amazon can have their AFTV on the Google device website. Seems like that would be fair.
Good start. Maybe now they’ll unblock the Android TV app on non-shield Android TV devices and allow casting.
Heck yea. Amazon Video def needs to come to all the Android TV devices.