Google and Roku reach deal to keep YouTube apps on streaming devices

YouTube and YouTube TV will remain on Roku devices after the two sides reached a deal in their carriage dispute.

In separate statements emailed to USA TODAY, YouTube and Roku confirmed a deal has been reached to continue distributing both YouTube and YouTube TV apps to Roku streaming devices.

"This agreement represents a positive development for our shared customers, making both YouTube and YouTube TV available for all streamers on the Roku platform," said Roku spokesperson Dallas Lawrence in a statement.

"We are pleased to have a partnership that benefits our mutual users," Mariana De Felice, a spokesperson for YouTube, said in a statement.

The deal arrives just before a Dec. 9 deadline when the YouTube app was scheduled to no longer be available to new Roku users.

In April, Roku said it was pulling YouTube TV from its streaming devices because its contract to carry it lapsed. Roku had warned users in emails negotiations over YouTube TV broke due to "unfair terms" set by parent company Google.

Google responded in a blog post claiming it wanted to renew its deal with Roku under current conditions, but Roku sought to renegotiate a separate deal involving the primary YouTube app. Google then added access to YouTube TV through the main YouTube app.

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