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Google is getting serious about not supporting older devices with outdated versions of the YouTube App.

First, they’d left the API (Applications programming interface) bug Apps using the Google Android Default Browser which is on 60% of all Google Android devices that mostly run Google Android 4.3 Jellybean unfixed as per my analysis in Android Browser Security unfixed as Google wants you to Upgrade to Lollipop.

Google, without saying so, want you to just buy a new Smartphone or Tablet running their latest OS, that being Google Android 5.0 Lollipop. Now the latest news is that they’re no longer supporting YouTube on devices made before 2012.

youtube_logo

Google has already begun shutting down YouTube on Google Android, Apple and other devices made back in 2012 since Monday April 20th 2015.

This means that if you have a Google Android Smartphone, Tablet or a Streaming set top Box that was made in 2012 or earlier, you’re probably running Google Android 4.1.x Jellybean.

That means you can’t upgrade to Google Android 4.4.4 Kitkat or higher and you may have to buy a new device or update the YouTube App.

Google had this planned from March 2014 – Upgrade to YouTube API to introduce new Features

This isn’t Google being evil.

According to YouTube Help page that pop up when you get the error on your device, this had been planned from as far back as Thursday March 4th 2014, when they’d announced on their YouTube Engineering Blog .

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Persons with devices made before 2012 have YouTube Data API v2, which would cease to work by Thursday April 30th 2015 as YouTube Data API v2 would be upgraded to YouTube Data API v3. This as Google, in a bid to improve the functionality of YouTube Data API v3, has decided to sunset the YouTube Data API v2 as per their internal Developer Depreciation Policy for software.

After that date, YouTube Data API v2 will cease to work on these older devices. This also applies to persons with older Apple products (why Apple peeps?) who enjoy streaming YouTube Videos on their Apple iPhones, Apple iPads, Apple iPod Touch and Apple TV.

How to keep watch YouTube on your pre-2012 device – May its time to just Let it Go

Fixing the problem is fairly simple however, albeit you may have to reach for your wallet.

In the case of Google Android smartphones, you merely need to upgrade to a new Device running Google Android 5.0 Lollipop. The Samsung Galaxy A3, A5 and the Samsung Galaxy S6 as per my article Samsung Galaxy S6 and Edge at MWC 2015 coming to Mash up Jamaica all use Google Android 5.0 Lollipop.

If you have an Apple product, an update to iOS 7 or iOS 8 will do the trick. But it’s not as simple as that if you have a smartphone older than the Apple iPhone 5.

iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 users who have never upgraded can update to iOS 8 can keep using the YouTube App. iPhone 4 who upgraded to iOS 7 will still have access to YouTube.

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But if you never took those upgrade warnings seriously and didn’t upgrade, then you’re time has run out; only iOS 8 is available and the iPhone 4 does not support it.

If you have an Apple TV, then upgrade by using the following procedure:

  1. Select Settings
  2. Select General
  3. Select Upgrade Software

This update procedure will not work for First and Second Generation Apple TV’s, as they were made after 2012. Ditto too most Sony and Panasonic TVs, Blu-ray player and game consoles made before 2012.

Then again, if you STILL have tech gear made before 2012, then it’s about time you step up your tech game and sell them on Ebay and step up to the year 2015.

You can still watch YouTube on your build in Google Android Default Browser, once it supports Flash. But even that will soon end as YouTube is going HTML5 as stated in my article YouTube switches to HTML5 with Adaptive Bitrate for better Streaming.

Simply put, you best bet is to get new gear and Let it Go like Elsa, Walt Disney’s Frozen Style if you want to continue getting your YouTube Video Streaming Fix.

Here’s the link:

YouTube Help page when YouTube is not working

YouTube upgrade from V2 to V3 from Thursday March 4th 2014

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