• by Alex Weprin , April 18, 2019

Tech giants Google and Amazon have resolved a longstanding disagreement over streaming video. 

The companies say in the coming months, Google will bring official YouTube and YouTube TV apps to Amazon Fire TV devices, while Amazon will bring Prime Video to Google Chromecast devices.

The addition of the apps marks the end of a streaming video feud of sorts.

Four years ago, Amazon removed Google’s streaming box Chromecast from its store, citing that its own video service wasn’t available on the device. Two years later, Amazon released a new device with a video screen, the Echo Show, which included access to YouTube.

Google proceed to block access to its popular video platform on the device.

Late last year, there were signs of a thaw between the two companies, as the Chromecast returned to Amazon's store. With today’s news, it appears the feud is over.

YouTube is the most popular video platform on the planet, with the company saying it has nearly 2 billion logged in users each month. While YouTube is primarily viewed on computers and mobile devices, it has made pursuing the TV glass a top priority. Amazon’s Fire TV devices were seen as being less competitive than others because it lacked those apps.

Separately, Amazon has turned Prime Video into a legitimate premium competitor to services such as Netflix and Hulu, seeking wider distribution. Google’s Chromecast devices would be a necessary part of securing the widest possible availability.