Microsoft"s relaunch of its own YouTube app for Windows Phone devices last week has now gotten the attention of Google"s team of lawyers. A cease and desist letter has been sent to Microsoft from Google, demanding the removal of the YouTube app by May 22nd.
The Verge reports that Google believes that Microsoft"s YouTube app violates the terms of the YouTube API. Specifically, the complaint refers to the fact that the app does not show ads inside the YouTube videos. In a statement to Neowin, Microsoft said last week that the YouTube app was developed solely by Microsoft with no input from Google.
This is just the latest in a number of battles between Microsoft and Google, which have included Microsoft"s various "Scroogled" marketing campaigns and, more recently, videos from Microsoft that mocked Google Docs. Today, Google CEO Larry Page, in a rare public appearance at the company"s I/O keynote, said that he was "sad" that Microsoft had chosen to put in Google Talk support inside Outlook.com this week, claiming that Microsoft was "inter-operating with us but not doing the reverse."
It appears that Google and Microsoft are destined to maintain their state of conflict. We have emailed Microsoft to get a statement on the YouTube cease and desist order.
Source: The Verge