Roku might no longer offer YouTube TV amid standoff with Google

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Roku devices might lose access to the YouTube TV app as the company is caught amid a standoff with Google. The company sent out an email to its subscribers on Monday calling on them to reach out to Google to "urge them" to reach an agreement. Roku accused Google in a statement of attempting to control the user experience on the platform that would favour Google's products as the two negotiate a contract renewal for YouTube TV. Google has its own line of Chromecast devices that compete directly with Roku.

According to Roku, Google is demanding that Roku give its separate YouTube app preferential treatment on the condition of providing the company access to YouTube TV. The demands include providing Google with special access to consumer data and for Roku to have a dedicated search result row for YouTube on its interface. Roku also claims Google wanted Roku to meet specific hardware specs. 

"Google is attempting to use its YouTube monopoly position to force Roku into accepting predatory, anti-competitive and discriminatory terms that will directly harm Roku and our users," a Roku spokesperson said in a statement Monday, which The Verge reported. "It should come as no surprise that Google is now demanding unfair and anti-competitive terms that harm Roku's users."​

"We have been working with Roku in good faith to reach an agreement that benefits our viewers and their customers. Unfortunately, Roku often engages in these types of tactics in their negotiations. We're disappointed that they chose to make baseless claims while we continue our ongoing negotiations," a Google spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge Monday. "All of our work with them has been focused on ensuring a high quality and consistent experience for our viewers. We have made no requests to access user data or interfere with search results. We hope we can resolve this for the sake of our mutual users."