Google Allegedly Removed the Juno YouTube App from Vision Pro App Store

Juno, an unofficial and highly praised YouTube app designed for Apple’s Vision Pro, has reportedly been taken down from the App Store following complaints from Google. According to Christian Selig, the app’s developer, Google claimed that Juno infringes on their trademark rights.

This marks another setback for Selig, who previously shut down his popular Reddit client, Apollo, after the platform implemented stricter fees for API usage. The closure prompted widespread protests from Reddit users and moderators over the changes.

In a statement, Selig expressed his lack of interest in escalating any conflict over Juno. He described the $5 app as merely a “hobby project,” created for fun while exploring development for visionOS. He emphasized, “I really enjoyed building Juno, but it was always something I saw as fundamentally a little app I built for fun.”

While it remains unclear what specific issues Google highlighted with Juno, Selig mentioned that Google cited “trademarks and iconography” in their complaints, alleging that Juno does not comply with YouTube guidelines and modifies the website inappropriately. Selig contested this, adding that Juno operates as a simple web view, akin to a browser extension that alters CSS for a more “visionOS”-style appearance. He ensured that no additional logos aside from those existing on the site are used, and he believes the “for YouTube” suffix adheres to Google’s branding guidelines.

Despite Google’s actions, the tech giant has yet to release its own YouTube app for Vision Pro. Reports in February suggested that such an app was in their plans, but there has been no official confirmation as of now.

For users who have already purchased Juno, Selig reassured that they can continue using the app for the time being. However, he cautioned that a future YouTube update could potentially disrupt the app’s functionality.

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