Today some rather interesting news has just hit the web regarding Apple and their iPhone going after Google again. This week Apple has released their latest beta for iOS 6 — the OS version that will grace their next iPhone. Along with the new release is the complete absence of YouTube. Google’s obviously popular application has been completely removed from iOS for the first time since the original iPhone debut in 2007.
This unusual news is just hitting the wires and you can read more over at our sister site SlashGear where they’ve got full details. Obviously Apple has been attacking Google and Android almost everywhere they possibly can. From endless pointless lawsuits, patent issues, and now this. They recently removed Google Maps completely from their OS, and developed their own Apple Maps option instead. According to official statements from Apple a YouTube app will “still be available” it will just be a required user download instead of built into the OS. This isn’t a shot at Google, instead only because the licensing deal ended.
Our license to include the YouTube app in iOS has ended, customers can use YouTube in the Safari browser and Google is working on a new YouTube app to be on the App Store.” – Apple
Recent updates to YouTube for Android has been met with huge praises. The new and improved user interface with HD content, artwork, and impressive animations has been a smashing success. Google has continued to improve YouTube into one of their best, most polished apps. It looks like those folks with iDevices will be left out again — all thanks to their creators.
According to multiple reports Google is currently building very similar apps to Google Maps and YouTube, and they will be both available for download on the App Store for those interested — which will be almost everyone with an iPhone. Update: We are also hearing this is actually a good thing, as now Google can make them how they’d like to, and update the apps for the better.
What do you guys think? Are all these moves by Apple getting a bit ridiculous, or is this just a logical step to try and remove the competition out of sight?
Has nothing to do with removing competition, at least not directly. The license was up. Honestly, this is better for iOS users, as it means that Google will be able to maintain the Youtube app directly. What you have to remember about both Maps (old Google version) and Youtube is that both were maintained by Apple, and just used services from Google. This meant that they never got all the features that Google was building for both apps on Android, because Google didn’t have control over which features got implemented on iOS or how they got implemented.
Now Google can maintain these apps directly, bringing a better experience. Seems like this post is just a bit too overly anti-Apple. I’m all for calling Apple out, but in this case, there’s really nothing to be complaining about.
A million thanks for beating me to the punch and properly explaining this. I am quite excited to see the Google apps for iOS get a refresh and the features I have loved on Android ported over.
Thanks for sharing details here guys.. Yea the Google apps for Android have been really improving lately.
Good to know those updates will arrive for others now they have full control again
YAY!!!!! Look superlinkx is right, this isn’t a big deal and I’m betting Google was more behind this than anything else as now they can make and have instant approval of iphone apps for google’s products and services.
Dude you got it all wrong, their license ended, thats all, its the same thing cyanogen went through with the gapps, he had no license to include them in his builds, now neither does Apple.
No matter how you look at it, it makes Apple look like a spoilt child who does not like one of his friends anymore, because he/she is more popular. Granted, it may be a good thing for the fruitpeople, because they can now enjoy what us Androiders have always had; the benefit of constantly developping Google apps. f
Before anyone starts a hate rant against me, I am no Apple-fan. I dislike the limitations set by the Parent-company, in order to keep the system working properly. Give me the chance to make mistakes and learn from them
I have always felt Google should take away it’s suite of applications Google Maps, Gmail, Google Plus, Youtube, and anything else iphone users have access too. It would distroy ios platform because everyone already knows ios is boring and has no real true funcationality. Google has played nice guy long enough with apple now it’s time to take the gloves off and pimp slap apple entire boring platform.