After Google refused to pair YouTube with Amazon’s Echo Show device, the e-commerce giant filed a trademark request for what seems to be YouTube rival – the ‘AmazonTube’. An alternative name for the service is ‘OpenTube’.
While it remains unclear if Amazon plans to launch a new video streaming service, the latest move suggests that the retailer is serious about it.
But it shouldn’t be a surprise if Amazon creates a rival for Google’s tremendously popular video sharing platform, YouTube:
- Over the last few years, Amazon banned Google Chromecast devices from its platform because they created competition to its own devices.
- The decision prompted Google to refuse to offer YouTube support for the Echo Show.
- Last Friday, Amazon said it would lift the Chromecast ban; however, the devices are still unavailable via the website.
This week, an upgrade made the Amazon Fire TV compatible with the Mozilla Firefox browser, which means that the feud between Amazon and Google is ongoing. Google’s Chrome browser has morphed into the planet’s most beloved browser over the years.
AmazonTube In The Making
However, experts think that creating a streaming service would give Amazon the upper hand in the situation. The trademark filings for AmazonTube were done the same day Google announced the YouTube app will no longer be compatible with the Fire TV starting Jan. 1.
The latest stab in the back by Google comes in response to Amazon’s decision to remove the Amazon Prime Video services from its rival’s embattled Chromecast devices.
According to the trademark filings, the new service will transmit, upload, receive, access, download, decode, encode, broadcast, share, display, transfer, tag, store, and cache “electronic works,” which could include video content, images, text documents, and electronic books.
Amazon also says that ‘AmazonTube’ will act as a social media website as well, just like YouTube.
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