AP / Getty Images / Justin Sullivan
Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google cofounder Larry Page.
In 2012, Apple and Google were going through a breakup of sorts.Apple released a new version of iOS without the Google Maps or YouTube apps, which had previously been included on the iPhone as default apps since the first iPhone.
Now, we know why YouTube was pulled as a default app: Because Google requested it. And, it had nothing to do with Apple's famous decision to make its own mapping software.
Apple wanted to include YouTube on the first iPhone, so it asked Google for special privileged access to the video platform, although it built the YouTube app itself.
Then five years later, Google decided to "take back control of our app," according to Hunter Walk, a venture capitalist at Homebrew who worked at YouTube for years.
At the time, many thought it was Apple that kicked Google's YouTube out of its default apps. Now, YouTube needs to be separately downloaded, and lots of people do it - it's currently the fourth most downloaded free app on the App Store.
Walk published his recollections as a tweetstorm on Thursday, and joked that the "statue of limitations on any nondisclosures" from his time at YouTube had expired.
Here's his story:
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Apple approached YouTube abt being default app on 1st iPhone. Making it happen ensured the "YouTube of mobile" was YouTube itself....
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...YouTube was still operating pretty independently frm GOOG at that time, & our BD team did great job managing Apple & Google interests...
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...was actually API deal w some add'l language around functionality, bec Apple built the app itself. They wanted that control...
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...i hated the shitty old TV icon they chose but i guess no way they were gonna put the YT logo :) ... Apple didn't like "UGC video"...
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...but knew they needed reasons for the masses to buy a smartphone, & likely their 1st data plan. YouTube was mass market....
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...besides default footprint on iPhone, placement made all other carriers approach us & want 2b "YouTube enabled" vs us giving them $$$...
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...we wanted consumers to ask "does this phone support YouTube" when they were purchasing their 1st smartphone. Carriers marketed us...
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...2012 iOS6, time for YouTube to take back control of our app, which was still Apple-created. Made gutsy move to not renew agreement...
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...great YouTube/Google mobile teams (eng, product, marketing, BD, etc) all worked together. Risky to be removed from all iOS6 devices!...
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017....millions & millions of phones - YouTube app disappeared!!! But consumers reinstalled from App Store, promos from other Google apps....
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017...was one of most interesting & consequential series of product decisions during my time at YouTube. Not w/o controversy internally 😉 /fin
- Hunter Walk (@hunterwalk) June 30, 2017