Roku is removing Youtube TV from its devices after heated negotiations collapse

After what we presume to have been a heated private exchange between Roku and Google where the former company sent out an abrasive email to its users accusing Google of monopolistic and manipulative tactics, negotiations to provide Youtube TV on its devices seem to have collapsed even further. This morning, Roku itself has put out another email informing its users that the service is now no longer being offered for download on its platform.

As a result, of Roku’s contract with Google expiring, and because the two could not come to a resolution that made everyone happy and worked to protect users, Google’s cord-cutting TV streaming service has been removed from Roku’s channel store. If you’re an existing Youtube TV subscriber and already had the channel installed on your Roku device, you’ll still be able to access it for now, but no new subscribers will be able to sign up directly or install the channel.

Shortly after Roku’s email, Google TV’s official Twitter account put out a statement referencing Roku’s email and apologized to its members for them having to see a public negative result of private, ongoing negotiations between the two companies. As of this time, it’s unclear how exactly these discussions unfold behind the scenes, but if Google is, in fact, asking Roku to prioritize and favor Youtube TV, then perhaps this decision is warranted.

Unfortunately, the end-user is the one who truly suffers as a result. For now, it looks like we’ve hit a brick wall in the situation, though these sorts of decisions are known to be reversed with time as further talks are likely to occur between the two warring parties. In the meantime, you can see some cutting words in the official Roku statement below where the company further reiterates that Google is to blame for the decision they were forced to make. We’ll update this article if Youtube TV responds!

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. ​

Roku’s Statement