Juno for YouTube App Removed From App Store Due to Google Trademark Issue

The widely-used third-party application Juno for YouTube, crafted specifically for the Apple Vision Pro, has been taken down from the App Store. This action comes in the wake of a complaint from Google, which asserted that the app breached YouTube’s trademark and API policies, as stated by the app’s developer, Christian Selig.

Selig, who is also known for developing the popular Reddit app Apollo, shared the developments and noted that YouTube had reached out to him several months earlier regarding Juno’s adherence to their guidelines. Google contended that Juno, which enabled users to watch YouTube videos on Apple’s Vision Pro in a more immersive manner, altered the platform’s appearance in a way that infringed upon YouTube’s trademark and failed to comply with its regulations.

In response, Selig countered these accusations, explaining that Juno operates as a “web-wrapper,” modifying only the CSS to improve the YouTube experience on VisionOS. He stressed that Juno did not block ads and did not utilize YouTube’s API, which had been a significant point in Google’s complaint. Nevertheless, after extensive discussions with Google, a resolution was not reached. On October 1, Selig received a notification from Apple indicating that Juno for YouTube had been officially removed from the App Store.

The app had gained popularity as it filled the gap left by the absence of YouTube on the Vision Pro platform. Earlier this year, Google had confirmed that a native YouTube app for Vision Pro was “on the roadmap,”but no release date has been announced yet. At present, users of Vision Pro can only access YouTube through Safari, which lacks the immersive features that Juno provided, such as 360-degree and 180-degree video viewing, along with Siri playback controls.

Selig expressed his disappointment but noted that Juno was initially designed as a fun, personal venture. He does not intend to take further action, contrasting his previous experience with Apollo and Reddit’s policy changes. Users who still have Juno installed should be able to use it without issue unless a future update from YouTube disrupts compatibility.

This app removal leaves Vision Pro users in search of a dedicated YouTube solution, posing challenges in finding alternatives that can replicate the capabilities that Juno offered.

Source: Christian Selig via The Verge

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