Following failed negotiations with Google to keep YouTube TV on Roku, Roku let YouTube TV customers know Friday morning that the app has been removed from the Roku Channel Store.
The decision follows statements from both Roku and Google, in which Roku claims Google wanted to skew search results in its favor and change the Roku user experience. Google responded, saying Roku was making “baseless claims.”
Roku followed through on the threat and removed the app. Current YouTube TV subscribers will still be able to access the app if they already have it on their device. This will only affect YouTube TV, not the regular YouTube app.
A Roku spokesperson sent the following statement to Cord Cutters News.
“We are disappointed that Google has allowed our agreement for the distribution of YouTube TV to expire. Roku has not asked for one dollar of additional financial consideration from Google to renew YouTube TV.
We have only asked Google for four simple commitments. First, not to manipulate consumer search results. Second, not to require access to data not available to anyone else. Third, not to leverage their YouTube monopoly to force Roku to accept hardware requirements that would increase consumer costs. Fourth, not to act in a discriminatory and anticompetitive manner against Roku.
Because our contract has expired, we have removed YouTube TV from our channel store. To continue to provide our users with a great streaming experience, we are taking the extra step to continue to offer existing subscribers access to YouTube TV on the Roku platform unless Google takes actions that require the full removal of the channel. Because of Google’s conduct, new subscriptions will not be available going forward until an agreement is reached.
It is well past time for Google to embrace the principles that have made streaming so popular for millions of users by giving consumers control of their streaming experience, by embracing fair competition and by ceasing anticompetitive practices. We believe consumers stand to benefit from Google and Roku reaching a fair agreement that preserves these principles and we remain committed to trying to achieve that goal.”