Amazon signals intent to take down Google

Amazon has been beefing with Google for quite some time. Photo / AP

Amazon has been beefing with Google for quite some time and it looks like the e-commerce giant is quietly getting ready to take the fight directly to its Silicon Valley rival.

The two companies have been trading blows recently with the spat coming to a head this month when Google signalled it would pull support for YouTube on Amazon devices like the Echo Show or Amazon's Fire TV stick — products that are just arriving in Australia.

"Google is setting a disappointing precedent by selectively blocking customer access to an open website," Amazon said in a statement.

Google hit back by essentially saying Amazon started it, pointing out that it refuses to sell Google's Chromecast product in its online store after dropping it two years ago.

The tit for tat has prompted concern about growing platform wars in which the consumer ultimately loses out.

In an apparent peace offering this week, Amazon said it will begin selling Chromecast again.

But behind the scenes, moves by Jeff Bezos' company have some fearing the battle could be about to get uglier.

As Google was trying to block YouTube from playing on Amazon devices, earlier this month the e-commerce giant quietly filed two trademark requests with the US Patent and Trademark Office for something called AMAZONTUBE, and another called OPENTUBE.

Documents show the patents relate to "software for integration of video, audiovisual, and multimedia content and functionality into websites, software applications, portable electronic devices, handheld devices, electronic reading devices, portable media players, mobile phones, smartphones, portable digital devices, computers, and other communications networks."

Basically, Amazon is describing a streaming video service with the potential to host lots of media.

As Domain Name Wire reported, it comes at the same time the company registered three domains names: AlexaOpenTube.com, AmazonAlexaTube.com and AmazonOpenTube.com.

It may be part of the ongoing gamesmanship between the two companies but clearly Amazon is up to something.

YouTube remains by far and away the dominant platform for uploading and sharing video content, but there could soon be a new kid on the block.