SAN FRANCISCO: A rare public spat in the technology industry escalated on Tuesday when Google said it would block its video streaming application YouTube from two Amazon.com Inc. devices and criticized the online retailer for not selling Google hardware.
The feud is the latest in Silicon Valley to put customers in the crossfire of major competitors. Amazon and Google, which is owned by Alphabet Inc, square off in many areas, from cloud computing and online search, to selling voice-controlled gadgets like the Google Home and Amazon Echo Show.
The stakes are high: many in the technology industry expect that interacting with computers by voice will become widespread, and it is unclear if Amazon, Google or another company will dominate the space. Amazon’s suite of voice-controlled devices has outsold Google’s so far, according to a study by research firm eMarketer from earlier this year.
In a statement, Google said, “Amazon doesn’t carry Google products like Chromecast and Google Home, doesn’t make (its) Prime Video available for Google Cast users, and last month stopped selling some of (our sister company) Nest’s latest products.
“Given this lack of reciprocity, we are no longer supporting YouTube on Echo Show and Fire TV,” Google said. “We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon.”
Amazon said in a statement, “Google is setting a disappointing precedent by selectively blocking customer access to an open website.”
It said it hoped to resolve the issue with Google as soon as possible but customers could access YouTube through the Internet — not an app — on the devices in the meantime.
The break has been a long time coming. Amazon kicked the Chromecast, Google’s television player, off its retail website in 2015, along with Apple Inc’s TV player. Amazon had explained the move by saying it wanted to avoid confusing customers who might expect its Prime Video service to be available on devices sold by Amazon.
Amazon and Apple mended ties earlier this year when it was announced Prime Video would come to Apple TV. Not so with Google.
In September, Google cut off YouTube from the Amazon Echo Show, which had displayed videos on its touchscreen without video recommendations, channel subscriptions and other features. Amazon later reintroduced YouTube to the device, but the voice commands it added violated the use terms and on Tuesday Google again removed the service.
The Fire TV loses access to its YouTube app on January 1, Google said. Amazon has sold that device for longer than the Echo Show, meaning more customers may now be affected.
Google pulls YouTube from Amazon devices, escalating spat
Google pulls YouTube from Amazon devices, escalating spat
Egypt’s central bank raises economic growth forecast to 5.1 percent in current year, 5.5 percent next year
RIYADH: The Central Bank of Egypt has raised its economic growth forecast to 5.1 percent for the 2025/26 fiscal year and 5.5 percent for 2026/27, up from previous projections of 4.8 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively.
The improved projection is attributed to the anticipated increase in contributions from the non-oil manufacturing and services sectors, with expectations of accelerated growth supported by the continuation of the monetary easing cycle.
This is expected to support real growth in credit extended to the private sector in the coming period, therefore boosting economic activity, according to a statement.
The revised forecast follows Egypt’s 5.3 percent gross domestic product growth in the first quarter of 2025/26, the strongest expansion in more than three years, according to the Minister of Planning and Economic Development Rania Al-Mashat in November.
At the time, Al-Mashat underlined that this acceleration was driven by improvements in productive sectors.
This also supports ministry data released in September showing that the economy expanded 4.4 percent in fiscal year 2024/25, supported by a strong fourth quarter when growth reached a three-year high of 5 percent.
The newly released report from Egypt’s central bank said: “Furthermore, forecasts are further strengthened by an anticipated stronger performance in the extractive sector, underpinned by multiple successful onshore and offshore discoveries of crude oil and natural gas, which are expected to gradually increase domestic production.”
It added: “Additionally, the growth outlook is further reinforced by a projected rebound in Suez Canal activity during the current fiscal year, assuming the normalization of maritime traffic in the Red Sea in light of the recent peace deal in Gaza, which has restored confidence and prompted the return of shipping lines through the Canal, including Maersk and CMA CGM.”
The report said continued strength in manufacturing, services, and Suez Canal activity is likely to support real GDP growth throughout the forecast horizon.
As for inflation, the analysis indicated that annual headline inflation is expected to keep slowing down throughout 2026, although it will remain slightly higher than the original forecast, before returning to the target level by the fourth quarter of 2026.
“As such, annual headline inflation is expected to average 12.5 and 9.0 percent in fiscal years 2025/26 and 2026/27, respectively,” the report said.
