Microsoft took some stabs at Google Wednesday, alleging anew that it's being shunned from a full fledged YouTube app and offering a fresh take on Mountain View's decision to discontinue Google Sync via the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol.
Dave Heiner, vice president and deputy general counsel at Microsoft, kicked the complaints off, writing in a blog post that Google continues to keep Microsoft from giving customers a "fully featured YouTube app for Windows Phone."
The claim is actually nothing new as the company bent the European Commission's ear about the issue nearly two years ago, however Heiner included a new rumble in his blog:
"[J]ust last month we learned from YouTube that senior executives at Google told them not to enable a first-class YouTube experience on Windows phones," he wrote.
It's them, not us
According to the VP, Microsoft has been in talks with the folks over at YouTube to resolve the issue, stating that YouTubers want "all customers - on Windows Phone as on any other device - to have a great YouTube experience."
Honchos at Google are scheming against the Softies, or so Heiner looks to claim.
The end-goal, at least according to Heiner's post, is to give Windows Phone users the same app access Android and iOS users are privy. YouTube is fully present on Microsoft's Xbox, so whether Heiner's claims have a ring of truth or YouTube is holding out for other reasons we don't yet know.
TechRadar asked Google for comment on Heiner's post and received this statement from the company:
"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."
Sound off
Microsoft also aired out its feelings on a decision by Google last month to dismantle Google Sync.
"Like many, we are surprised and disappointed that Google wants to make it more difficult for customers to connect to their devices," the company said in a statement to The Verge.
New accounts won't be able to access services like Gmail, Calendar and Contacts through Sync starting Jan. 30, though existing accounts won't be affected. Google also announced in December that it won't build out apps for Windows 8 or Windows Phone 8.
Microsoft's statement included a plug for its Outlook.com email service and said Google email sync will be available through IMAP.
Microsoft might smell blood as a decision is expected soon (for real this time) in an antitrust investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission looking at Google's business practices, hoping through Heiner's blog post to light a fire under the commissioners' seats.
Or, it could be bulking up its Scroogled campaign against its old enemy. Whatever the motive, it doesn't look like the Softies plan on taking the target off Google's back anytime soon.
