Skip to main content

Google is yanking YouTube from Amazon Fire TV and Echo Show

Google says the Amazon Echo Show violates YouTube’s terms of service

If you wanted to watch the trailer for Natalie Portman’s upcoming sci-fi movie Annihilation, you would probably go to YouTube. You might even ask Alexa to pull it up on your Buy Now . But not so fast — Google and Amazon aren’t playing together, as playing YouTube videos on the Echo Show apparently violates Google’s terms of service. Despite a recent workaround that allowed Echo Show users to continue accessing YouTube by going to the web browser, it looks like Google is now pulling its video service for good. And more importantly, the platform is also disappearing from Amazon’s Fire TV.

“We’ve been trying to reach agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each other’s products and services. But Amazon doesn’t carry Google products like Chromecast and Google Home, doesn’t make Prime Video available for Google Cast users, and last month stopped selling some of Nest’s latest products,” a YouTube spokesperson said. “Given this lack of reciprocity, we are no longer supporting YouTube on Echo Show and FireTV. We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon.”

Recommended Videos

Starting Tuesday, December 5, YouTube will no longer be supported on the Echo Show. Folks who own Fire TVs will also begin seeing a notification alerting them to the fact that YouTube will no longer be available beginning January 1, 2018.  If you do ask Alexa to show a YouTube video, she snippily replies, “Currently, Google is not supporting YouTube on Echo Show.”

Previously, an Amazon statement to The Verge claimed that Google made the change “without explanation and without notification to customers.” Google responded, “We’ve been in negotiations with Amazon for a long time, working towards an agreement that provides great experiences for customers on both platforms. Amazon’s implementation of YouTube on the Echo Show violates our terms of service, creating a broken user experience.”

Considering videos are supposed to be the big draw of the Echo Show, this is quite a blow to Amazon and to device owners. The company touted it as a great fit for kitchen counters, where users could watch a video on the proper way to clean tomatillos as they are making a new recipe. There are still apps like the one from Food Network with videos, but they don’t have the amount and variety that YouTube does.

This isn’t the first time Google has blocked a device from accessing YouTube. In 2013, Windows Phone users found out they were unable to watch the site’s videos. When Microsoft re-released the app, it had a different design and ads, both in response to Google’s complaints.

There’s quite a history of bad blood between Amazon and Google. As YouTube noted in its most recent statement, the Google Chromecast wasn’t always available on Amazon, and Amazon Video wasn’t supported on the Google’s Android TV platform. And in fact, when the Fire TV first made its debut, it did so without YouTube support. In many ways, this simply marks the latest in a lengthy saga, and the folks really suffering from the dispute are … well, us. Hopefully, the two companies can reach an agreement soon. In the meantime, there are still some useful things you can do with your Show, like see your calendar or read a book.

Update: Google officially pulls YouTube from the Amazon Echo Show and Fire TV. 

Lulu Chang
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Hulu + Live TV vs. YouTube TV: how to pick the best live-streaming service
The Hulu home screen on a TV.

If you’re having trouble choosing the best live TV streaming service for your needs, we don’t blame you — viewers today have more choices than ever. Whether you're looking for a big on-demand content library or a reliable live TV streaming platform, there's no shortage of solid options to explore.

Two of the most popular choices — YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV — stand out for their reasonable pricing, similar features, and strong channel lineups. But when it comes down to it, which one should you pick?

Read more
YouTube updates will help you sleep and speed things up
The new YouTube Shorts interface.

There are a million ways Google could improve the YouTube experience across all of its platforms. And today it announced a handful that aim to make how you watch on your mobile device, computer, and TV just a little bit better. The updates focus on playlists, interaction, playback speed — and maybe most importantly an option that'll keep you from waking up at 4 a.m. with Mr. Beast still doing whatever it is he does on your screen.

There are more than two dozen improvements on the way, Google says. Here's a quick look at the biggest of what's coming in the near future:
Sleep timer available to all
Sleep timer is graduating from YouTube Premium and rolling out to everyone on mobile devices. It's exactly what it sounds like — a method by which you can tell YouTube to stop playing at some point. You have a bunch of options for the sleep timer (maybe too many) and and choose whether to have videos stop after 10, 15, 20, 30, 45 minutes, or 1 hour — or when it hits the end of the current video.

Read more
What is YouTube Music? Everything you need to know
iPhone 15 Pro Max showing the YouTube Music app.

YouTube, long renowned for its vast video library, has quietly established itself as a formidable music streaming service. Its dedicated app, YouTube Music, offers a curated collection of songs, albums, and podcasts catering to various music lovers. With millions of songs and countless music videos, YouTube Music boasts a comprehensive catalog that rivals industry giants like Spotify and Apple Music.

The app utilizes advanced algorithms to suggest music based on your listening habits, ensuring a tailored and enjoyable experience. YouTube Premium subscribers can download their favorite tracks for offline playback, perfect for commutes, workouts, or areas with limited internet connectivity.

Read more