Google's changes result in MetroTube being hidden from Store

By Sam Sabri
published

Here is a friendly public service announcement for all the Metrotube fans out there, the app has currently been hidden from the Store and will be back shortly.

LazyWorm Apps, the team behind Metrotube for Windows Phone and Tweetro for Windows 8 have always received high praise for their 3rd party YouTube app. They just never seem to catch a break from Google. The team has always had to use workarounds to get high quality streaming to work in the app. Well, Google recently made some back-end changes that broke all 3rd party YouTube apps, like Metrotube.

We've called Metrotube the best YouTube app available for Windows Phone so it's always a shame when things like this happen. Unfortunately, the game of cat and mouse will probably continue until Mountain View gets a little friendlier with 3rd party apps. The developers informed us of the situation and resolution this morning:

"We've pinpointed why it's happening and aim to have a fix out very soon."

If you're new to Windows Phone you'll want to save this link (or use the QR code below) for when it does come back. Until then sit back and relax.

Metrotube QR

Sam Sabri
Sam Sabri
90 Comments
  • Poor google , if I were to be Microsoft , I would increase what they pay for patents, just for fun lol
  • it doesn't relly work that way :)
  • Why is WPCentral reporting on this now? Youtube has broken 3rd party apps at least twice this year alone. It's honestly pretty common nowadays. Youtube changes back-end things, 3rd party devs release a quick patch to ammend the change, all is well for a few months.
  • same happened to the multi-site app Gravity for symbian, broken by twitter api keys and youtube now.
  • METROTUBE 8 for Windows8 and RT
    http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/tr-TR/app/metrotube8/e79cffc0-cc0a-4ee...
  • Yes, metrotube8 is amazing for me. Thanks
  • Such a shame!
  • Damn you Google. Just tried my MetroTube app and sure enough... It doesn't work. Grrrrrrrrrr.
  • I did so, too this afternoon... ATM it seams servers are down...
  • Queue the "Google is doing this just to shaft WP" nut jobs. 
  • Google is doing this just to shaft WP
  • LOL you beat me to it.
  • Google is doing this just to shaft WP.
  • Haha. Go ahead and get it out. 
  • Did you guys know Google is doing this just to shaft WP.
  • Do you know that they aren't?
    Just look at their recent track record regarding WP.
  • Really?  I heard Google is doing this just to shaft WP.
  • Google is doing this to shaft Windows Phone
  • Google is doing this just to shaft WP.
  • Google is doing it with a shaft on the other end of the WindPipe. Am I doing it right?
  • Aww damn i knew it googles just doing this to shaft wp
  • It's a real shame their doing it just to shaft WP
  • Sorry I'm new here... I just heard Google is doing this just to shaft WP users, is this true?
  • Google is very childish. 
  • I think you have to be under 25 to work there.
  • Under 5, as they are acting...
  • It started already a few days ago, I had reported the issue to Lazyworn. I'm starting to really pissed off with this google thing
  • Yeah notice it wasn't playing back HD or HQ videos a few days ago but now it's not working at all.
  • You know .. Google's YouTube is horrible now .. Ad's galore and the streaming is choppy and sometimes really slow to even start. Someone needs to step up to the plate and take it back to a site around "YOU" and not "THEM" :)
  • 1
  • The site you are looking for is VIMEO. The best.
     
    YouTube unfortunately has the masses, which is why it's turned into an advertising haven. But their video quality doesn't come close to Vimeo's.
  • Have to agree. And Daily Motion is good for the harder to find stuff.
  • Seems the changes have screwed a few apps. Windows 8 app YouTube+ is having sign in issues
  • Google is a bitchhhh!
  • Same thing with SuperTube. And while we're at it, can someone explain the difference between SuperTube and MetroTube? 
  • Preference, there both great apps, I prefer supertube, but do like metrotube as well you can't go wrong with either app..... Until google shafts again LOL
  • Supertube lets you view videos unintended for viewing in mobile devices. It also allows downloading of videos. Metrotube looks better.
  • I feel so sorry for LazyWorm. Such a great team, but seem to get struck by lightning wherever they go. First this, then Tweetro, now back round to this again.
  • Annoying, the "default" YouTube app has never worked on wp8 either it just keeps telling me to download the app even though its installed, luckily I don't use YouTube much so I'll be patient.
  • Same. I've never been able to on WP8, but I never had that problem with WP7.
  • Mine works, but I have to click a video up to three times before it'll play. Somewhat annoying, but not a deal breaker.
  • Having the same problem!
  • Me too
  • Glad to know it isn't just me! I recently updated my Asus Diamond firmware and thought that was the cause of the problem.
  • If google plays more games, Microsoft or other companies like vimeo or whoever will have an opportunity to enter that market, google was a cool company now they are just greedy and without style
  • 1
  • Even Youtube on the web has been incredibly crappy as of late, good work Scroogle!
  • Not to mention the blatant use of metro, modern, Microsoft design language, whatever the f' you want to call it...
  • Not again :(
  • My MetroTube app works just fine on my AT&T Lumia 920.
  • You know, the least Google could do, being the "open" source champions with their browser and OS initiatives, is to stop jobbing over one of the best examples of app developer work in all of the intarwebs.  #savemetrotube
  • plus 100
  • You mean "pretending" to be open source champions so that don't have to pay for anything they use. YouTube was way better before Google got their hands on it. I didn't really see any new features that Google has added that weren't there before except plastering every page with adverts and mangling the UI over and over again.
  • Its back just downloaded on my new 920
  • Google could either A) Put forward a YouTube app of its on for us to use. OR B) Let third party apps be.
  • C) Not put out a Youtube app, Not let third party apps be; and starve the platform of something the casual new smartphone user would expect their phone to be able to do.
    Every little thing they do like this hurts the WP operating system and mildly polarizes it from the casual consumer.
  • And Microsoft wants to make Office available for Android? Really? I know, cripple functionality in Smartglass for Android. Start there.
  • But that will just make Android SmartGlass users angry at Microsoft, not Google.
    But I do agree that Microsoft should keep Office exclusive to only Windows Phone (in the phone market).
  • This is soo stupid, Apple vs Microsoft vs Google vs Apple WAR
  • Hey Google........Don't Be Evil
     
  • There has to be some sort of legislation against this sort of behaviour in the future. I think Google is in a way holding Microsoft users hostage by not letting them access Google services outside IOS and Android. They say they are not interested in officially supporting Microsoft platforms, yet suffocate developers who are willing to support them. I'm sorry, there has to be a way to stop this. Do no evil my ass.
  • This is the hardest part about sticking with WP7/8.
    Many offical apps are no where to be found and the ones that do (YouTube, FB, Twitter) all are horribly below where they should be after 2 + yrs.
    I know, I know, I heard Joe Belfiore as well, if you build it they will come...but when will all the offical apps come and the official ones we have...when will they not suck...as much?
  • Metrotube was working fine for me yesterday and now it won't play at all. I'm on my 2nd month on WP and I love it enough to purge every googlish thing from my life if need be. Hope its just a bug but if not, so long googletube.
  • Works fine now for me, try yours
  • Just tried a minute ago. Says "error loading HD quality video. Do you wish to continue in SD? Have to tap two or three times before I'll get this message. Was going to uninstall and then try reinstall but it's no longer in the app store. No biggie, may try another app, wait for a fix or just do without.
  • I've just tried again now to make sure i wasn't dreaming and everything works fine in metro tube for me. Videos load the first time i press them and choosing HD 720p they load straight away in 720p and it all works great
  • Oh ok, it works for all the videos on the main page but not if you search for a video
  • Yep, just noticed that after I downloaded Vimeo for WP8 (a very nice app btw) Maybe its a glitch that needs to be ironed out. I'll keep both as long as they play well with my 920. And again Vimeo is absolutely stunning!
  • Way to flaunt your A$$ Google... This kind of childish behavior just makes me start removing your software and services as well, including posting about your antics on Facebook and other sites too...
  • Interesting. The YouTubeRT app on my Surface works fine. Just viewed and downloaded a 720 video, But SuperTube on my L900 is definitely glitched. Surprised that a Goggle change wouldn't break everything.
  • Going to YouTube via the browser works fine as well .... They are doing something to interfere with the app ...
  • I noticed last night that all videos would play only in Low Quality and then they just stopped working.
  • Man I hate Google...
  • I started hating them too... slowly migrating everything to outlook.com, my photos from picasa to Flickr and my videos to Vimeo.
  • Weird. SuperTube is still working fine
  • That's because its fixed now
  • Why is WPCentral reporting on this now? Youtube has broken 3rd party apps at least twice this year alone. It's honestly pretty common nowadays. Youtube changes back-end things, 3rd party devs release a quick patch to ammend the change, all is well for a few months.
     
  • I wish there were an alternative to Youtube, it's the only service owned by Evil Corp that I use (just removed Gmail account from WP8 and Surface)
  • Now Google is just acting like Apple ... but that's how it goes when a new rival arrives.. 
  • GOOGLE AS SUCH FOOLS. You've lost me as a customer. I will now never buy another Google product.
  • It works again YAYYYYYY
  • Why is everyone angry at Google? Unlike Microsoft, they don't enforce bans of their own products to their own customers. Where is support for my language (Hindi) in my Lumia 900? Why can't I browse my native websites from a phone I bought spending a fortune, while I can do so using any cheap android phone? Why is IE10 not coming to 7.8 update? Does Microsoft care for its own existing customers at all. Will someone from WP central ever write about what the 7.5 users have been missing? Time to fix your own house before pointing fingers at others'.
  • What is your business who is angry at whom? Just like you can be angry with Microsoft, others have the right to be angry at Google. As for my house, its perfectly fine. If WP does not support your language then sorry for you, but it does support mine. I can browse all the sites I visit fine now and why would I want IE10 on my WP7 phone; it will just take up more memory and probably runs a lot slower. Whatever "missing features" you're talking about on WP7.5 weren't missing for me when I bought my phone. I knew what I was buying. Sorry if you bought the wrong phone but any one would tell to make sure any device has all the features that you need before you buy it. If you were cheated into buying it that why is it that you could not return it and ask for your money back. If a cheap android device seems to work better for you then go ahead. It's your choice and frankly it's none of my business. Same as it's not of your business which phone I choose and who I am pissed off at.
  • Yo thickhead! My point is MS screws its own customers, what's wrong with Google screwing its rivals' customers? By your own warped logic, if you want YouTube why don't you buy an android phone instead of whining here about their lack of support for windows phone.
  • The only point you're making is that you think you got screwed by MS and others who don't think so have to agree with your opinion. That's called bigotry. It's clear fact that you are just trolling because you didn't even bother to read the entire article. The changes break all 3rd party apps, not just Window Phone apps. And you were the one that made the analogy about cheap android devices, not me. Who's the thickhead now? Looks like you're always getting yourself screwed. I only answered your post because I thought you were geniune. You're just a fake so bye-bye.
  • Well put Bee Mon. fools paradise why don't you attempt to research a product before purchasing.
  • Such bullshit. So now what, download a shortcut to the mobile site!? Fuck off.. Can't catch a break. RELEASE AN OFFICIAL APP JESUS CHRIST
  • I can't get videos to play in MetroTube or SuperTube... very annoying.
     
  • Windows should have come to agreement with Google prior to release of WP. There is no way WP will not survive without basic apps like YouTube, Facebook, etc.
  • We have Facebook and for the most part YouTube