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Google and Microsoft in war of words over YouTube app

Google and Microsoft are locked in a war of words after the Big G banned the YouTube app for Windows Phone a second time.

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richard-trenholm-square.jpg
Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
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Richard Trenholm
2 min read
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Fight! Google and Microsoft are locked in a war of words after the Big G banned the YouTube app for Windows Phone a second time.

Google has blocked the new version of the app, for purported violations of its rules, after barring a previous version. But Microsoft has blasted Google's "excuses".

"Google's reasons for blocking our app are manufactured so that we can't give our users the same experience Android and iPhone users are getting," claims Microsoft lawyer David Howard.

"The roadblocks Google has set up are impossible to overcome, and they know it."

Microsoft's first attempt at a YouTube app was blocked by Google for not showing ads. Google then demanded the new app be built in HTML5 rather than as a proprietary Windows Phone app -- despite the fact neither Apple or Android versions of the video app are built in HTML5.

Google also cites problems with the app's branding, and problems with ads. Microsoft says the branding has never been a problem in previous years, and the ad issue is dependent on information from Google that the search company has yet to provide.

Google responds, "Unfortunately, Microsoft has not made the browser upgrades necessary to enable a fully featured YouTube experience, and has instead re-released a YouTube app that violates our terms of service. It has been disabled."

Is Google unfairly penalising Windows Phone over Apple and Android -- or is Microsoft trying to get away with peddling a substandard app? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or get in the ring on our Facebook wall.