Microsoft claims Google blocked its access to YouTube data on Windows Phone 7

March 31, 2011 | By Surur

google-monopoly In a several hundred word screed against Google, aimed at European anti-trust regulators, Microsoft’s Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Brad Smith, complained that Google would not allow them proper access to YouTube video on Windows Phone 7, denying them the ability to search “video categories, find favourites, see ratings” and so forth.

Microsoft claims the same access was granted the iPhone and of course Google’s own Android, adding to a pattern of discrimination which Microsoft sees as Google’s effort to wall of popular internet data only to users of its own search engine and products.

Microsoft claims this meant the only way they could provide full access was through the mobile web, meaning their YouTube client ended up being a simple mobile web shortcut to YouTube, rather than a “high quality YouTube app for Windows Phone” with rich functionality which Microsoft is apparently ready to release if given proper access.

Microsoft goes on to make several more accusations against Google, which can be read in this Technet blogpost here.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged google, news, windows phone 7, youtube

GP007

If true I'm not surprised at all.
Denis J. Sharkaat

Low blow from Google, allowing functionality to every other significant platform but WP7. So much for them being the "good guys" they claim to be.
Chris

Moronic Google….
calltoto

Maybe google will provide a functional web page… when Kro$ft will provide a functionnal mobile OS with functional navigator.

http://www.facebook.com/chris.lynch.hp Chris Lynch

What does one have to do with the other?! I'll tell you – Nothing. Your comment offers nothing to the discussion.

FMH

Typical Google.
orewagundamu

This will get ugly

JNated

You mean it "could" get ugly. Imagine google chrome and google search page being blocked on the Windows platforms…

http://twitter.com/jessiethe3rd @jessiethe3rd

So that's why there's no native WP7 YouTube App…Bad Google.

GP007

Looks like it, I'm sure MS could've just as well added YouTube support right into the Zune player so we wouldn't need an app, just like how Facebook is in the people hub.

http://www.facebook.com/J88NYR Jonny Rose

Would be fantastic if it was built into zune!!

I have to say im finding youtube more and more annoying, there are quite a few videos now that you are not allowed to view through a mobile connection (affects the iphone too) the only phones you can view is with android through the desktop website via flash, and thats a PITA
rsg

Microsoft shouldn't cry about it, they should just cut Google off from any of their services.

I'm glad MS's DoJ antitrust case is over, they can start kicking some ass now.
Eric

That is why Google refuses to provide Google Maps.

It is totally unfair. I hope Antitrust and competition bodies will not let this kind of behaviour continue. It is against customers.

applejack

Do you have to pay Google when you use Bing maps or buy a WP7 phone?

I wanted a single high end PC from Dell or HP to run as a linux number cruncher. I had to pay the Microsoft tax to get one even though I installed Ubuntu on it as soon as I took it out of the box. Yes I could have built it myself or bought from one of these no name places or even whined to the HP/Dell sales people to get a refund but you flat out can't buy one in under 10 minutes without paying tribute to the Microsoft monopoly.

zzz

Do you all remember how people blasted MS for their crappy youtube app? This just shows you why people shouldn't judge MS too quickly on some of the things going on for WP7. If you see some things that doesn't make sense to you, don't assume MS folks are clueless idiots. If something wrong is obvious to you, it's obvious to them too! It's just that there usually is a good reason (contractual, technical, legal, carrier relationship etc) behind the story that they can't disclose publicly.
drizo72

Well, HTC version of YouTube for WP7 does not have these restrictions… I think…

David Gordon

HTC also aren't Microsoft…

mattias

Is this the reason i cant see the youtube videos on wmpoweruser with my omnia7 regional settings on sweden(swedish)? They seem to turn up fine with regional format set to english(us)!
grumpy666uk

But, what explains Microsoft not having a native Windows Live Messenger?

rsg

Simple.

Why was time on Live Messenger when Lync is around the corner on the mobile front.

MS Lync will be light years ahead of Live Messenger..

http://www.facebook.com/chris.lynch.hp Chris Lynch

Uh, Lync is for the Enteprise, which will be replacing Office Communicator. Windows Live Messenger isn't going anywhere, and MS should develop a proper app for it. Hell, MS needs to open up the Sockets API (along with many other missing API's) to allow more than just Live Messenger.

rsg

waste*, not was.
bobk

Yeah, it's a double standard. MS is required to offer Chrome as a browser option during Windows setup.

Brian

The requirement on MS to offer a browser selection screen is a result of them having been found guilty of anti-competitive behavior.

bobk

No kidding. Why do you think MS is complaining to the EU. The EU has stricter rules than US.

Brian

My favorite part of the complaint (which wasn't reproduced here) was when they referred to iOS and Android and the "rich user interfaces offered by those phones."

bobk

MS isn't complimenting Android or Apple. They're commenting how ugly and useless the Youtube mobile site is. Everybody can see WP7 UI is better…except Apple fanboys.

Brian

It's not a case of people just "blaming" Microsoft, they were found guilty of using their dominate position in the desktop OS world to unfairly catch up in the browser business (they leveraged their monopoly position). I'm not saying Google isn't doing something wrong here, but that's no reason to sugar-coat what MS did.

tjarren

I don't think it's sugarcoating. I think the intention was to show how people are being inconsistent and hypocritical by not jumping on Google the way the jumped on Microsoft even prior to their antitrust judgment. Google is seemingly doing with search and other services what MS was doing with IE and other products. They deserve the same backlash, even from the government.
bobk

In an interview, the lawyer that sued MS for antitrust in the 90s now agrees with MS that Google is a monopoly engaging in unfair practices. This won't end well for Google.

http://www.facebook.com/danrh Daniel Rivero Horie

Dirty game if it's true, by the way the new Lazytube app for WP7 is great
simbadogg

seriously, i'm growing to hate google
ejlee2006

Screw YouTube… MSN video is the way to go….#wp7
http://twitter.com/jimmyfal @jimmyfal

I never trusted Google from the START. The day I went from Metacrawler to that pristine, clean, Google screen, i was IMMEDIATELY suspicious, because NOTHING on the internet comes from anyones "goodness of the heart". It is ALL about MONEY, and Google exemplifies that more so now than even Microsoft OR Apple. I've been calling Google EVIL to anyone that will listen for YEARS now. Yeah MS and Apple are no saints either and I do happen to reside in the MS camp.

I liken Microsofts silence to Gandhi getting bashed across the face and not pointing fingers. Ok maybe Gandhi is going a little far, but it's nice to see the REAL story of the CRAPPY youtube app coming out. Now what is the story on the rest of the crappy apps like no Facebook Live Tile notifications, and No Twitter Live tile notifications, and no Windows Live Messenger created by MS FOR us?

Screw you Google, the only way we will ever know if you guys are really changing is the day I can surf porn in fucking China!

JF