Is AmazonTube (or OpenTube) a Legit YouTube Alternative? Michael Kwan December 20, 2017 News It’s true that you have several alternatives for where you can freely upload and share your videos on the Internet. You could post your vlogs on Facebook if you wanted. You could share your short film on Vimeo. But the truth of the matter is that you’ll probably just end up posting it on YouTube anyway, right? Well, it looks like Amazon could be working on a direct competitor called AmazonTube. Earlier this month, on December 5, Amazon went ahead and filed trademark requests for AmazonTube and OpenTube. They go on to mention how these names could be used to describe a service that provides “non-downloadable pre-recorded audio, visual and audiovisual works via wireless networks on a verity of topics of general interest.” Aside from the audio-only component, that sure sounds a lot like what YouTube does. This turn of events follows two rather significant stories this year. First, there was a whole backlash among the YouTube community over the demonetization of seemingly benign and perfectly safe videos. YouTubers love YouTube, to be sure, but even Casey Neistat said that many would likely jump ship if a viable alternative were available. You just can’t get the same kind of audience or make the same kind of money on Vine or Instagram or Facebook. And you’ve probably heard about the ongoing spat between Amazon and Google by now too. Google started blocking YouTube from working on the Amazon Echo Show a few months ago, also pulling YouTube from the Fire Stick. Amazon stopped selling Google products like the Chromecast on its website and I can’t get Google Play Music to play on the Echo either. They’re not exactly BFFs at the moment. Amazon has not confirmed any plans to create a true YouTube alternative, but between the trademark filing and these two other developing stories, the very idea of an AmazonTube (or OpenTube) could be truly compelling. Amazon is huge and has the kind of audience and resources to put up a legitimate challenge against Google and YouTube. Share This With The World!