Microsoft Blames Google For Failing To Help Create Amazing YouTube App For Windows Phones

A Google supported YouTube app for Microsoft Windows Phone has been delayed for more than two years, and now Microsoft is pointing fingers at Google.

Microsoft VP & Deputy General Counsel Dave Heiner posted an extensive attack against YouTube and Google on Microsoft’s public policy blog in which he blamed YouTube for a lack of support. Heiner notes that Microsoft’s own attempts to create a suitable app have been hindered because of lacking YouTube support.

For YouTube’s part, the company prefers to control every aspect of its app builds, and Microsoft is not likely to give Google full access to the systems it needs to create a suitable app that can compete with Google Android and Apple iOS apps.

Regardless of Google’s stance, the team at Microsoft is placing all of the blame on Google:

“Microsoft has continued to engage with YouTube personnel over the past two years to remedy this problem for consumers. As you might expect, it appears that YouTube itself would like all customers – on Windows Phone as on any other device – to have a great YouTube experience. But just last month we learned from YouTube that senior executives at Google told them not to enable a first-class YouTube experience on Windows Phones.”

Google answers back by noting that its web-based app is accessible via Windows Phone apps:

“Contrary to Microsoft’s claims, it’s easy for consumers to view YouTube videos on Windows phones. Windows phone users can access all the features of YouTube through our HTML5-based mobile website, including viewing high-quality video streams, finding favorite videos, seeing video ratings, and searching for video categories. In fact, we’ve worked with Microsoft for several years to help build a great YouTube experience on Windows phones.”

At this time, the YouTube websites HTML5 mobile development allows for full Windows Phone access via mobile browser.