No official YouTube app. And there never will be.

[Nerdy Woman]

You can call Android fork Android. Even Nokia/Microsoft does. It does have Android experience as it is using Android for the hell. It doesn't have Google Play, but remember Google Play has not even existed in original Android, and Google Play is NOT part of the Android, but something else, don't want to bother with details...

It always helps the discussion if you read the articles to which I've provided links. From the Wikipedia article about Android:

"Google Mobile Services software, along with Android trademarks, can only be licensed by hardware manufacturers for devices that meet Google's compatibility standards contained within Android Compatibility Definition Document. Thus, forks of Android that make major changes to the OS itself, such as Amazon's Fire OS (used on the Kindle Fire line of tablets, and oriented towards Amazon services), Microsoft's briefly supported Nokia X Software Platform (a fork used by the Nokia X family and oriented toward Microsoft services, having its support ending with Nokia X2) or other forks which exclude Google apps due to the general unavailability of Google service in that country and licensing fees (such as in China), do not include any of Google's non-free components, are incompatible with apps that require them, and must ship with their own proprietary software marketplace instead of Google Play Store. In 2014, Google also began to require that all Android devices which license the Google Mobile Services software display a prominent "Powered by Android" logo on their boot screens.

Members of the Open Handset Alliance, which include the majority of Android OEMs, are also contractually forbidden from producing Android devices based on forks of the OS; in 2012, Acer Inc. was forced by Google to halt production on a device powered by Alibaba Group's Aliyun OS with threats of removal from the OHA, as Google deemed the platform to be an incompatible version of Android. Alibaba Group defended the allegations, arguing that the OS was a distinct platform from Android (primarily using HTML5 apps), but incorporated portions of Android's platform to allow backwards compatibility with third-party Android software. Indeed, the devices did ship with an application store which offered Android apps; however, the majority of them were pirated."

Microsoft can refer to the Android OS when indicating that an app (such as OneNote) is available for Android devices. But as the article to which Xandros9 linked (Google’s iron grip on Android: Controlling open source by any means necessary | Ars Technica), don't buy an Amazon Fire phone and expect to get Google Play or other Google Mobile Apps.

The point of my OP is to emphasize that Google has decided to go head-to-head with Microsoft as an OS developer. They aren't going to do anything to level the playing field between Android and WP devices (including an official YouTube app for WP). Since they own YouTube, they can make it an Android exclusive if they choose to. And while they may make YouTube available on Xbox (is that an app or just a website wrapper?), they don't sell gaming consoles, do they?

I can appreciate their reasoning for requiring all Android-licensed hardware manufacturers to ship devices with all the Google services installed and requiring that certain things be visible on the home screen or immediately accessible with a single tap. They want all Android phone buyers to have phones that look like one another out of the box. Microsoft does the same thing with their 3rd-party hardware manufacturers for all their OSs.

All I'm suggesting here is that if you want Google services, go buy a Google phone.

 

[DJCBS]

The forked Android OSs can't be called Android... The name is owned by Google.

This is not true. Android's name is Android Open Source Project. Anyone can use it. There's a difference between AOSP and Google's Android, but that doesn't mean that, for example, Amazon, can't call Android to their phones or use the Android name. Microsoft uses it to promote the Nokia X line. Because those phones ARE Android phones.
They can't however promote the phones in a way that lead consumers to believe they're Google Android phones.
Which is why OEMs normally call something different to their OSs.

Also, the fact that Google is requiring OEMs to comply with certain guidelines regarding their apps is perfectly normal. Google has ALWAYS required that OEMs comply with certain things to "certify" their phones and put Google Play services in them.
An OEM wants to produce an Android phone and put YouTube, Gmail, Hangouts etc it it? Then they have to follow Google's guidelines. If an OEM doesn't want to comply with that - like Amazon - then they can still use AOSP but they won't get Google's Play store and services.
Which is perfectly reasonable.

The only reason why Google is tightening their grasp on Google Android phones is because some OEMs are abusing the freedom Android gives them to cast Google aside.
The most evident one is Samsung.
Samsung's TouchWiz resembles ANYTHING but Android (actually it resembles iOS more than stock Android). And Samsung was (and still is) loading their phones with basically duplicate services. You have a Samsung Store, a Samsung mail, a Samsung everything-that-Google-Offers duplicate. What was happening was that Samsung was driving people away from Google services and replacing them with Samsung's own services. Yet they were still Google-certified Android phones.
So Google has to act.

It would be the same as Microsoft producing Android phones, get Google to certify them, and then fill the phones with Microsoft services in a way so blatantly shameless that people would be driven away from Google's services.
Google would need to be really stupid to keep certifying and putting their Play Store on phones that were designed to drive people away from Google services.

At any rate, this tightening of Google's grasp on Android has NOTHING to do with Google not putting their apps on WP. Google has their apps on iOS and iOS is a far greater threat to Android than WP is marketshare wise.
Google has an old beef with Microsoft. Microsoft mistreated Google in the times when Microsoft was the almighty monopolistic software king. Now Google is getting their revenge and taking advantage of the fact that WP has an insignificant marketshare (hence Google would profit little from it) to boycott Microsoft.

 

[Nerdy Woman]

The article Nerdy Woman linked has no relevance to Windows Phone getting an YouTube app.

The article to which I provided a link is indicative that Google is going all-in, not as a benefactor of Android Open Source, but as a proprietary OS developer. The new agreements with their manufacturers reveal the extent to which they intend to control how users access their services. Yes, that's only on Android devices, but because they are heavily invested in gaining ROI on Android, they're not going to do anything that would cause users to consider a competing phone OS. That includes spending time and $ creating and supporting a YouTube app for WP. Rather myopic of them given that Google's revenues are mostly advertising dollars and WP users, while fewer in number, do have eyeballs and dollars.

Microsoft has taken a different approach. They're willing to forego revenues on OS licensing (as indicated by the free license for small device manufacturers), anticipating license and subscription revenues from apps. So they make their apps available for foreign OSs (iOS and Android).

I'm sorry if you are unable to see the connection, but thank you for sharing your opinion.

 

[Nerdy Woman]

No matter how many times you keep saying that, it won't be true. Educate yourself.

As for Google services being sub-par, it's amazing that they have so many users, isn't it?

Educate yourself. Read Google's philosophy. Particularly #6. Here's the link: https://www.google.com/intl/en/about/company/philosophy/

and from #6: "Google is a business. The revenue we generate is derived from offering search technology to companies and from the sale of advertising displayed on our site and on other sites across the web. Hundreds of thousands of advertisers worldwide use AdWords to promote their products; hundreds of thousands of publishers take advantage of our AdSense program to deliver ads relevant to their site content."

In the guise of "personalizing" content, Google tracks your activity. If you are reading up on tourism in Myanmar, you'll see ads related to travel services. Yes, Microsoft does this too, but with Google's double-click and AdWords, many web devs monetize their sites by allowing Google to drop cookies on you. If you visit a website that contains AdWords advertising, expect to see ads related to that site's content when you use Google search, in email advertisements, etc.

And by all means, read their privacy policy, but wear your skeptical hat while doing so: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/

That means objectively interpret the phrases and spin they put on things.

Now, before you reply with a scathing comment about Microsoft doing the same thing... They do and they don't. Microsoft makes privacy options more readily accessible, explains what they do and don't do in plain language, and they even make tracking protection and pop-up blockers not only built-in to IE, but choices you step through the very first time you open IE.

Compare the Google privacy statement with Microsoft's full-on Privacy website: Microsoft Privacy Statement

and their site concerning your options regarding advertising: Your privacy and Microsoft personalized ads

As for Google apps being sub-par? Meh. It's irrelevant. The fact they have so many users just goes to prove that we've all forgotten the lessons our mothers taught us: "Don't take candy from strangers."

 

[Nerdy Woman]

Is this for real? You mean like Microsoft does by forcing you to use all things Bing? I'd love an official Google Maps app and YouTube app. Most of all I'd love a decent Facebook app though but that's unlikely to ever happen. Microsofts attitude seems to be "you have an app for that so what's the problem?"

If you want Google services, go buy a Google phone. Microsoft is not responsible for providing 3rd party services on their devices any more than Google is responsible for making OneNote available on Android.

 

[Nerdy Woman]

Simply put, any argument on this site that discusses Android and Windows Phone turns into a flame war.

The OP has a problem with Google persuading people using Android to use it's own services, guess what Google can do what it wants and it's services are by no means bad.

I don't have a problem with Google pushing Google services on Android users. My point was that WP users should not expect to get much love from Google, including an official YouTube app.

Moving on, Google just tries to persuade you to use it's services you aren't forced to.

If you don't like the Google Play Store? Change it.

To what? I suspect that any Android phone user is going to want some apps... Without the G-store, they're not going to be loving their phone.

If you don't like Google as your search engine? Change it.

You can do that on WP as well. If you prefer Google, disable that Bing-agent Cortana and change your default search engine.

Yes, any tech-savvy Android user can take their phone and customize it. But if you had read the article to which I linked in my OP, you'd understand how Google is changing Android. And if manufacturers want to use the little green robot as a marketing tool and the Google Play store as a resource, they better pay attention to the emperor's new rules:

"This year, the signed agreement said there must be a Google search ?widget? on the ?default home screen? of the device, along with an icon for the Google Play app store. It said an icon on the device home screen labeled as ?Google,? when clicked, must provide access to a ?collection? of 13 Google apps (Google Chrome, Google Maps, Google Drive, YouTube, Gmail, Google+, Google Play Music, Google Play Movies, Google Play Books, Google Play Newsstand, Google Play Games, Google+ Photos and Google+ Hangouts). The newer agreement also specified the order in which this collection of apps must be listed, from left to right and top to bottom within the Google icon. Several other Google apps, including Google Street View, Google Voice Search and Google Calendar, must be placed ?no more than one level below the Home Screen,? the agreement says. (Device owners can manually change the location of icons on their own.)"

But on Windows Phone, don't like Microsoft, HTC, Samsung or any other OEM camera app? Too bad can't do anything.

Given that cameras require very tight interaction between firmware and software, you'd be foolish to d/l a 3rd party cam app and expect good results.

Don't like the default browser and wants to change your default search engine? Too bad.

As mentioned above, you can change the search engine to Google.

Don't like Microsoft's keyboard? Too bad. Can't do anything.

Don't like any of the stock apps? Too bad you can't do much to change them.

Don't like Xbox Music and Xbox Video? Too bad, they'll always be there.

Please cry a bit more about how Google forces you to use it's own services and Microsoft doesn't.

I'm not crying about anything. I love my WP. I love my keyboard with WordFlow. I love the automated backup to my OneDrive and the tight synchronization with my laptop.

My entire point is this: YOUTUBE AND OTHER GOOGLE APPS ARE JUST THAT. GOOGLE APPS. If you want Google Apps, don't be expecting Google to make them available on your WP. It's not about WP's small market share, it's a Mountain View vs. Redmond rivalry.

If an official YouTube app is on your must-have list, go buy a Google phone (obviously, Salmanahmad, you already have one).

 

[Nerdy Woman]

You guys need to stop ******* about ******* around. The average customer doesn't like workarounds. We need Google Apps. We need hangouts, Gmail, official youtube, Google plus. Not because we like it. It's because people will never switch to WP if they aren't there. So make petitions, complain about apps on WP until Google' servers crash. We need Google. If we didn't need Google then our markets are wouldn't be so low.

If you need Google services, go buy a Google phone. That's what they want you to do and why they won't build apps for WP. Google doesn't want to make WP a viable competitor in the smartphone market.

 

[Karthik Naik]

So you are saying Google is better than bing? Hangouts is better than Skype? Socl is better than google plus? All I am saying is that there is no 'superior' service suite. People use a company's services for their own specific needs.but the think about WP is that there aren't any options. Sometimes I wish the search button opened the Google app and holding the search button started Google now voice search. Sometimes I wish I could use google maps as a default map. And sometimes I wish I could use official YouTube (even though the third party apps are waaasaay you better)

i actually said the opposite in case you didnt read my post
bing is better than google
skype is better than hangouts
socl is not that great but facebook is better than google+,socl isnt showed down your throat the way google+ is
i say microsoft has superior service overall and people havent given them a fair shot yet
why google now? you have cortana which does what google now and siri do ,it also has more features
what options are you talking about,no one uses google apps except for gmail and maybe google maps

 

[Karthik Naik]

@nerdywoman thanks for those links,they enlightened me further on googles shady policies
btw i totally agree with your sig-
you cant be a leader if your following the crowd
^^its what pushed me to buying a windows phone and a BB10 in the first place
i gave both windows phone and BB10 a fair shot after years of android and ios and i havent looked back!!
however "limited" it is in the eyes of naysayers, they certainly won my heart because they got right what we want in a phone(something android and ios lack) and use a fresh approach to mobile operating systems
we dont want a completely closed or completely open system like ios and android respectively
windows phone and BB10 have balance especially for devs who give them a fair shot instead of blaming ms with vague reasoning

just thought i should put my thoughts out there

 

[psoham777]

@nerdywoman

Thanks, your links were really helpful.
I always buy a unique phone, never follow the crowd. I use wp, because Android is crap & google is cheating WP by not providing the services to them. Never mind, I am more than happy to use Microsoft's services. I love my wp & don't care if others don't like WP

 

[colinkiama]

Dafuq? When did I ever say anything like that? I just asked a simple question of "what other apps besides XYZ" in response to you saying that "the world lives on Google", but I guess you just feel the need to be overly dramatic to get your point across instead of jumping to baseless conclusions. Anyways, I'll break this down:
Search - we have it

Maps - I can give you that, but it's still not "required" and only about half the people I know actually use it, the rest use Apple Maps or Mapquest on their iPhones, so that just shows that it's not required. Same for Google Earth.

Hangouts - huh? I have literally never seen anyone use it, talk about it, or have it installed on their phone. Most people I know with an Android phone just use it because Google integrated the text messaging app into it. Way more people use Skype, Whatsapp, and Facetime to communicate.

Chrome - you mean the browser that it only 1/3 as popular as IE? Ok

Notes - yes, I'm sure millions could just never switch to WP unless they have their precious Google notes. Most people use Evernote, Onenote, or the built in note application that comes with their phone.

Google+ - oh come on now, this is almost as bad as Notes. No one uses this thing. Google only got their numbers up from Gmail and Youtube where they forced people to have one.

Google drive - you mean the third largest cloud service? Hardly something that is preventing 95% of the population from switching.

I can give you YouTube, search, Gmail, and MAYBE google maps, but the rest NOT heavily used by the general population and precisely prove my point about how you're putting your own biases on the global population. Yes, I'm sure they each have their own global and million strong user fanbases, but they're a far cry from "the world requires Google".

Edit: Also, Microsoft has publically stated that Microsoft Mobile will be profitable by next year, so I'm not sure what you're trying to say at the end.

The only reason ie is popular is because it's pre installed on pc's people just use it to download chrome or Firefox then it is abandoned and never used again.

 

[colinkiama]

i actually said the opposite in case you didnt read my post
bing is better than google
skype is better than hangouts
socl is not that great but facebook is better than google+,socl isnt showed down your throat the way google+ is
i say microsoft has superior service overall and people havent given them a fair shot yet
why google now? you have cortana which does what google now and siri do ,it also has more features
what options are you talking about,no one uses google apps except for gmail and maybe google maps

And both of those apps are not on WP.

 

[D M C]

hangouts, Google maps and Google search. I don't understand why you don't want the majority of smartphone users (95%) to switch to WP because of your own personal vendettas to google. Numbers don't lie, Microsoft are losing money from windows phone.

LOL!
" majority of smartphone users (95%) to switch to WP because of your own personal vendettas to google."

Well if you are on WPCentral then this 95% is quite accurate for WP users. or may be less,, I think 99% will be more accurate

but considering all WP users might be wrong.
Few users love to try different OS.
and some of them bought for Camera or Nokia brand.

 

[colinkiama]

Mytube beta is looking good though

 

[colinkiama]

LOL!
" majority of smartphone users (95%) to switch to WP because of your own personal vendettas to google."

Well if you are on WPCentral then this 95% is quite accurate for WP users. or may be less,, I think 99% will be more accurate

but considering all WP users might be wrong.
Few users love to try different OS.
and some of them bought for Camera or Nokia brand.

WP has 2.7% of the world market. The other phones are feature phones. 95% are smartphones.

 

[Jas00555]

The only reason ie is popular is because it's pre installed on pc's people just use it to download chrome or Firefox then it is abandoned and never used again.

And now I know that you've never intended to have a serious conversation and have just been trolling. No that's not right as IE is used by 60% of the user base. We get it, you prefer Google's services to Microsoft, but I don't understand why you're trying to argue against the facts. Anyways, have a nice day, I'm not going to respond to you anymore.

 

[Jas00555]

WP has 2.7% of the world market. The other phones are feature phones. 95% are smartphones.

Actually, I'm going back on my last post and responding to you one last time. You keep sprouting BS. 30% of all phones in use are feature phones, 2.7% are WP, 14% is iOS, 50% is Google's Android, 25% is AOSP, .8% is Blackberry, 1.5% is Symbian, and the rest are various other OS like Firefox, Jolla, etc....

There, now I'm done.

 

[Laura Knotek]

WP has 2.7% of the world market. The other phones are feature phones. 95% are smartphones.

Or BlackBerry, Symbian, webOS

 

[D M C]

i actually said the opposite in case you didnt read my post
bing is better than google
skype is better than hangouts
socl is not that great but facebook is better than google+,socl isnt showed down your throat the way google+ is
i say microsoft has superior service overall and people havent given them a fair shot yet
why google now? you have cortana which does what google now and siri do ,it also has more features
what options are you talking about,no one uses google apps except for gmail and maybe google maps

Seriously ?
I think your comment was sarcasm
Specially " bing is better than google"

If you don't know ......80%+ users use google and bing is around 5%.
Hardly anyone users bing(only MS strong supporter use bing)

You want to know reality of bing.
just watch last 20 secs of this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B759dzymyoc

 

[Jas00555]

Seriously ?
I think your comment was sarcasm
Specially " bing is better than google"

If you don't know burt 80%+ users use google and bing is around 5%.
Hardly anyone users bing(only MS strong supporter use bing)

You want to know reality of bing.
just watch last 20 secs of this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B759dzymyoc

Personally, I think both of you are wrong, as neither is necessarily better (assuming you both live in the US). I don't really think either is better or worst, they're just what someone uses. Some people use Google because their friends use it, some people use Bing because they like the format of it, some people use Google because they like to use Google Now, some people use Bing because they like to use Cortana. I really don't see how one can be better just because more people use it.

Also, I think in the last earnings call, Satya Nadella said that all uses of Bing (Siri, Yahoo, Bing.com, Facebook, etc...) that Bing was up to 15% market share and was apparently growing (I'm assuming, anyways, since he said that Bing will be profitable within a year).