The AmazonTube Irony
When Google started blocking YouTube on Amazon Echo devices, it might have motivated Amazon to plan the unthinkable: build an alternative to YouTube. Or better still; build something that will serve its customers. It would not be easy, of course, because YouTube is video and Amazon has a different strategy on video consumption: it requires subscription to Amazon Prime video contents. Of course, YouTube is largely user-generated while Prime video is not. But business models evolve and Amazon can pivot with Prime Open video.
TechCrunch reports that Amazon has filed a trademark for AmazonTube. While that does not mean anything, it does mean that Amazon is thinking on something. (There is no apparent relationship to this recent blockade since this filing was done many weeks before the tit for tit and tat for tat between Amazon and Google.)
Google’s decision to block YouTube content was a real kick in the pants to Amazon as it got ready to launch its Echo Show device. After all, YouTube videos are the perfect content for the device and its smaller counterpart, the Echo Spot. The small screen sizes mean the products aren’t really suitable for watching content that’s longer than, say 10 minutes or so
Competition, depending on the way you play it, could have unexpected outcomes. Before this blockade, the world has accepted YouTube as the ultimate destination for user-generated videos. But as Google changes its tactics, despite any provocation, that may not be so any more. If Amazon goes ahead to build a minor-league substitute, you can blame Google for that challenge.
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A company that has about 90 million paid members for its Prime membership (in U.S. alone) can mount decent challenge any day. In short, it can start with product review videos and encourage people to do same on AmazonTube, offering a link to add same to products listed on Amazon. As they say, be careful what you wish for!
