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The Chromecast is Google's fault. Amazon will only sell the Chromecast if Google allows them to cast to the Chromecast from all of their apps — even on Kindle

The Chromecast is Google's fault. Amazon will only sell the Chromecast if Google allows them to cast to the Chromecast from all of their apps — even on Kindle devices. Google refuses to allow that, and also refuses to allow Amazon to build their own implementation of the Chromecast library (the Google-supplied one requires Play Services). The options for Amazon are: remove all Amazon apps from the Kindle, install only Google apps by default, and provide Chromecasting support, or only provide Chromecast supports for users of Google Android, but not those on the Kindle. This is a clear case of Google abusing its monopoly on Android, and Amazon responding by abusing its monopoly in online retail. EDIT: This is exactly why I don't use any proprietary IoT devices, but only open products, or things I built myself. Open standards circumvent these entire issues.

bduerst 9y ago
I think you have your wires crossed on this one. Google has an open SDK for chromecast that allows any developer to use it, including Amazon, and has not "refused to allow Amazon" to develop on it. Amazon is the one voluntarily choosing not to support chromecast.
- kuschku 9y ago
  That's false. The Chromecast SDK requires Google Play Services. As result, it does not work on the Kindle devices. Amazon would have to install Play Services (compliance with this would require setting Google as the default for all stores, apps, etc, and even removing a few of Amazon's own apps), or Amazon could enable Chromecast for everyone except Kindle users (which would convince people to buy less Kindles) So when Google is asking Amazon to either destroy its own product, or make its own product work better with a competitors devices than with its own, then obviously Amazon won't do either of these things.
  - bduerst 9y ago
    We're not talking about Kindle devices, we're talking about Amazon Prime streaming services. Both the web and mobile apps of Amazon prime can support chromecast streaming, but they made the decision not to - before the play services requirement for Android.
    - kuschku 9y ago
      Amazon's Apps are developed Kindle first. Amazon is not going to provide better functionality on Google Android than on Amazon Kindle Android. That'd cannibalize their own product. If you want Chromecast support on Android, then ask Google to make it independent of Play Services.
      - bduerst 9y ago
        The android, kindle, and iOS versions of their app are developed on separate forks. The web SDK also doesn't require play services, which is why, when combined with the fact Amazon did not say play services is the reason they don't support chromecast, it's a red herring to be focused on devices and play services. Amazon made the decision to force users to use their own proprietary streaming service, and then dropped competing streaming devices from their store.
        kuschku 9y ago
        > The android, kindle, and iOS versions of their app are developed on separate forks. Or maybe they don’t want to deliver functionality only to some users, which would lead to confusion and frustration? Have you read the threads whenever Google launches a product and only 2% of users have access? Maybe they don’t want such a shitstorm to destroy their business-customer relationship?
        bduerst 9y ago
        And the Apple Home? Does Apple has a record of terrible customer relationships? What's more likely here - That Amazon was worried about customer relationships specifically with the companies Apple & Google, or that Amazon wanted to block competition from it's store to force users to buy Amazon's streaming products? This is also a far cry from your original assertion that Google was blocking Amazon from developing on chromecast. You seem like you have an axe to grind here - why is that?
        9y ago
  - bsharitt 9y ago
    >That's false. The Chromecast SDK requires Google Play Services. Yep, and if I'm not mistaken, Chromecast initially didn't have the Play Services requirement(I seem to recall Netflix on the Kindle working at first). So definitely not all openness and friendliness from the Google side.
    - kuschku 9y ago
      Correct, and that's why Google added it in the first place, to hurt Amazon. It's ridiculous how many people here are defending Google over this.
  - andrewla 9y ago
    Maybe there's some subtlety that I'm missing, but there are clear counterexamples: almost all iOS video apps support chromecast, including Netflix and HBOGo (and HBONow). Amazon Prime Video is the exception here. I'm not aware of any Google Play Services installed on my iPhone, and if it's something that's bundled with the apps, then Amazon Prime Video can bundle it as well. The situation on Android might be different; at one point I certainly could cast from Netflix to Chromecast on my Kindle Fire (even though no Google Play Services existed) although from looking around on Google a bit that appears to no longer be the case.
    - kuschku 9y ago
      > The situation on Android might be different; at one point I certainly could cast from Netflix to Chromecast on my Kindle Fire (even though no Google Play Services existed) although from looking around on Google a bit that appears to no longer be the case. Correct. Google removed that ability, and Amazon won’t support Chromecast until Google adds it back.
lern_too_spel 9y ago
Thanks. This is the first explanation of this Amazon/Chromecast situation I've seen that makes sense.

bduerst 9y ago

I think you have your wires crossed on this one. Google has an open SDK for chromecast that allows any developer to use it, including Amazon, and has not "refused to allow Amazon" to develop on it. Amazon is the one voluntarily choosing not to support chromecast.

kuschku 9y ago
That's false. The Chromecast SDK requires Google Play Services. As result, it does not work on the Kindle devices. Amazon would have to install Play Services (compliance with this would require setting Google as the default for all stores, apps, etc, and even removing a few of Amazon's own apps), or Amazon could enable Chromecast for everyone except Kindle users (which would convince people to buy less Kindles) So when Google is asking Amazon to either destroy its own product, or make its own product work better with a competitors devices than with its own, then obviously Amazon won't do either of these things.
- bduerst 9y ago
  We're not talking about Kindle devices, we're talking about Amazon Prime streaming services. Both the web and mobile apps of Amazon prime can support chromecast streaming, but they made the decision not to - before the play services requirement for Android.
  - kuschku 9y ago
    Amazon's Apps are developed Kindle first. Amazon is not going to provide better functionality on Google Android than on Amazon Kindle Android. That'd cannibalize their own product. If you want Chromecast support on Android, then ask Google to make it independent of Play Services.
    - bduerst 9y ago
      The android, kindle, and iOS versions of their app are developed on separate forks. The web SDK also doesn't require play services, which is why, when combined with the fact Amazon did not say play services is the reason they don't support chromecast, it's a red herring to be focused on devices and play services. Amazon made the decision to force users to use their own proprietary streaming service, and then dropped competing streaming devices from their store.
      - kuschku 9y ago
        > The android, kindle, and iOS versions of their app are developed on separate forks. Or maybe they don’t want to deliver functionality only to some users, which would lead to confusion and frustration? Have you read the threads whenever Google launches a product and only 2% of users have access? Maybe they don’t want such a shitstorm to destroy their business-customer relationship?
        bduerst 9y ago
        And the Apple Home? Does Apple has a record of terrible customer relationships? What's more likely here - That Amazon was worried about customer relationships specifically with the companies Apple & Google, or that Amazon wanted to block competition from it's store to force users to buy Amazon's streaming products? This is also a far cry from your original assertion that Google was blocking Amazon from developing on chromecast. You seem like you have an axe to grind here - why is that?
        9y ago
- bsharitt 9y ago
  >That's false. The Chromecast SDK requires Google Play Services. Yep, and if I'm not mistaken, Chromecast initially didn't have the Play Services requirement(I seem to recall Netflix on the Kindle working at first). So definitely not all openness and friendliness from the Google side.
  - kuschku 9y ago
    Correct, and that's why Google added it in the first place, to hurt Amazon. It's ridiculous how many people here are defending Google over this.
- andrewla 9y ago
  Maybe there's some subtlety that I'm missing, but there are clear counterexamples: almost all iOS video apps support chromecast, including Netflix and HBOGo (and HBONow). Amazon Prime Video is the exception here. I'm not aware of any Google Play Services installed on my iPhone, and if it's something that's bundled with the apps, then Amazon Prime Video can bundle it as well. The situation on Android might be different; at one point I certainly could cast from Netflix to Chromecast on my Kindle Fire (even though no Google Play Services existed) although from looking around on Google a bit that appears to no longer be the case.
  - kuschku 9y ago
    > The situation on Android might be different; at one point I certainly could cast from Netflix to Chromecast on my Kindle Fire (even though no Google Play Services existed) although from looking around on Google a bit that appears to no longer be the case. Correct. Google removed that ability, and Amazon won’t support Chromecast until Google adds it back.

lern_too_spel 9y ago

Thanks. This is the first explanation of this Amazon/Chromecast situation I've seen that makes sense.