Microsoft says Google has blocked YouTube search

Google and Microsoft's competition in the search market has resulted in Google blocking phones running Microsoft's Windows Phone platform from operating properly with Google-owned YouTube, according to Microsoft representatives. The allegation came today as part of a larger explanation of Microsoft's ongoing effort to encourage regulators to take action against the search giant for anticompetitive actions. According to Microsoft, Google executives have told YouTube personnel "not to enable a first-class YouTube experience on Windows Phones."

The post containing the allegation was written today by Dave Heiner, Microsoft's Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. Heiner writes that the lack of full YouTube compatibility first arose on Windows Phone in 2010, and Microsoft raised the issue then.

Now Windows Phone 8 devices remain unable to access YouTube through a native app. Instead, the YouTube app from the Windows Phone app store simply directs users to the YouTube mobile page in the browser.

According to Microsoft, the issue is simply a matter of Google opening up YouTube further as a platform, allowing Windows Phone-powered devices to access the whole of YouTube's features. The software giant claims that the YouTube situation illustrates that Google's anticompetitive tendencies do result in actual harm to consumers, as Windows Phone device owners are unable to take full advantage of YouTube due to this one Google policy.

By Electronista Staff

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Microsoft, Google, YouTube, mobile phones, Windows Phone