We can't believe we're writing this but after January 1st, 2012, Lazyworm, the devs behind the super popular MetroTube will cease to offer the application. Those of you who have it now are all set as the app will continue to operate, but after 1/1/12 you won't be able to re-download the application from the Marketplace.
The reasoning is vague but it involves the notion that the YouTube service (owned by Google) has not been supportive of Windows Phone and does not have any documented APIs for high quality videos. Most Windows Phone YouTube apps have been using a workaround, but Lazyworm believes that this is not feasible in the long run. In a letter posted to their customers (PDF) they write:
"We are extremely saddened to announce that as of the 1st of January 2012, our applications ‘Metrotube’ and ‘YouTube’ will no longer be available for download from the Windows Phone Marketplace.YouTube’s current API does not have any documented methods for obtaining high quality video content. We have been using a workaround to obtain this content and it has recently come to our attention that this may not be sustainable in the long term, hence our decision to stop distributing the apps.The apps should remain functional for those who have already installed them however we will be unable to push out any further updates. Of course, you can also continue accessing YouTube videos directly through your web browser."
Truly this is a massive blow to the Windows Phone ecosystem as MetroTube quickly became the must-have YouTube app. No word if other developers will follow suit or what Microsoft may do to ameliorate the situation. Hopefully we'll hear more in the coming days. Lazyworm expects to still develop for Windows Phone as a platform, so hopefully we'll see some more of their great work but in other forms in the future.
