Google Chromecast And Apple TV Return To Amazon After Multi-Year Blackout

Amazon’s reasoning at the time was that the devices, which lacked support for Amazon Video, could confuse customers and lead them to possibly return the devices after the couldn't access Amazon's streaming media services. "Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime," Amazon said at the time. "It’s important that the streaming media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion."

Competing devices from Roku have continually been supported by Amazon due to that company's wide-ranging support for streaming apps, including Amazon Video.

Google was no doubt miffed by this snub from Amazon, and has stewed over the decision for two years. In recent months, Amazon and Google have tussled over YouTube playback on the Echo Show, and things came to a head earlier this month when Google announced that it would be yanking support entirely for YouTube on the Fire TV and Echo Show. Being shut off from the world's most dominant video sharing website was probably too much for Google to handle, as the company announced today that it will resume selling Google streaming hardware, starting with the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra. The items are actually available to purchase, but their landing pages are active.

While the Chromecast is now back at Amazon, there are no signs that the company will allow the Google Home family of products to appear on its site as well (or Nest products). In addition to the revival of the Chromecast family, the Apple TV has also returned. Like the Chromecast, the Apple TV was pulled from Amazon's shelves back in 2015. However, Apple and Amazon recently kissed and made up, with the Apple TV finally receiving a long-promised Amazon Video app.

While Amazon's war of words (and withdrawal of sales) with Apple and Google appears to be ending amicably, the real winners are everyday consumers. Not only will customers be able to once again be able to purchase these devices from the world's most popular online shopping destination, but Fire TV and Echo Show owners will no longer be caught in the crossfire of battling tech giants.