Amazon has banned using the word google

The war continues between two Internet giants , fiercely competing on the grounds of smart speakers and cloud web services. In previous episodes, Amazon suddenly removed all products from Google and its affiliates from its store. And when Google blocked access to its YouTube for devices manufactured by Amazon, it made a pirated application to bypass the lock and applied for AmazonTube, its own video streaming service. After the CES 2018 exhibition, where companies were measured by the steepness of their smart speakers, and Google flooded the whole of Las Vegas with its advertising banners from Google Home, most experts thought that the Internet giants would cool down. But it was not there. The other day, an independent developer discovered that Amazon seems to have begun to ban the use of the very word “Google” on its devices.

The discovery was accidentally made by one of the creators of “skills” for Alex (programs for the voice assistant, allowing him to perform new functions, a la applications in Google Play and the App Store) under the name TsaTsaTzu. His “skill” called Mind Maze is one of the most popular puzzle games on the platform. The user enters a virtual maze, from which one must get out, giving Alex the direction of the path (north, south, east, west, up, down ...). Remember where the dead ends, and to find a way in two dimensions - is simple, but in three and four - is incredibly difficult (judging by the feedback from users, you immediately get confused).

The skill was released in 2016, but recently TsaTsaTzu decided to upgrade it. And then - bang! - Amazon does not accept it. "Not good." TsaTsaTzu (real name is Joe Jakinta ) is one of the most experienced software developers under Echo. More than two years ago, he even published a book on how to program these "skills." Plus, the exact same utility works great on Google Home. Therefore, he immediately felt something was wrong, and turned in support to find out the reason why his skill was suddenly rejected.

It turned out that the skill worked quite well, there were no problems during the game. But at the end of the Mind Maze was supposed to remind users how to repeat the session (more application calls = more money for the skill developer). The program should have said something like “If you want to play more, say,“ Alex, turn on the Mind Maze ”.” Instead, she said, "If you like card games, say," Ok, Google, turn on 21 blackjack "." Oops! TsaTsaTzu had a small bug: the final phrase from another program, which he had previously worked for Google Home.

But it is even more interesting that the new version of Mind Maze was rejected not because of a bug, but because of the phrase O-Tom-Who-Can-Not-Call. At least, this is how Amazon testers wrote to the developer, and they rejected the skill:

Current result : the skill advertises Google Home, saying “Ok, Google” when the user says “Stop” or “Cancel”.

Expected result : the skill should not advertise Google Home.

TechCrunch journalists write that, of course, it is logical that Amazon does not want Alex users to refer to a competitor. And letting the application with a bug on the platform, however small it may seem, is also not very good. But the reason for the refusal seems strange: instead of marking the “wrong phrase when exiting,” the Amazon team for some reason says “don't mention Google”. At the same time, in an agreement with the developers for Alex, the company has not indicated anywhere that it is impossible to refer to competitors or mention any specific companies in the skills.

After a small scandal, Amazon recently issued a statement . As it was expected, the testers threw themselves under the train: they say that they were incorrectly expressed, but in fact we do not prohibit any special words in the “skills”. Although the names of brands and trademarks should not be used, just in case, but then you never know what. *Wink*.

Well, Mind Maze was finally restored , after the developer replaced the phrase with Google on the way out. After all the news, the game received a new wave of traffic. For Amazon, it was a (relatively small) PR failure, but at least for TsaTsaTzu the story ended with a happy ending.

PS Want to buy something in the USA? Pochtoy.com delivers it to Russia for $ 8.99. Registration with the code Geektimes brings you to the account $ 7.