Apple says it will not pre-install Google’s YouTube app in the next version of its mobile software, as rivalry between the two tech giants continues to grow. Apple has included the online video streaming app on its devices since 2007, but says that its licence to use YouTube in its software has now expired. Apple adds that users can still access the service through its web browser Safari and says Google is working on an updated version of the YouTube app for the App Store, but the implication is that Apple has no plans to renew the license.

This is just the latest move by Apple to distance itself from Google after the firm’s decision to remove Google Maps from its mobile devices in favour of its own software. Analysts are interpreting it as a sign of the increasing competition between the two companies as the iPhone and iPad vie for market share against a raft of smartphone and tablets running Google’s Android operating system.

“Apple and Google are the mobile operating systems for the future and this is where the battleground is going to lie,” Needham & Co analyst Kerry Rice tells Reuters. “If it’s going to be a two-horse race, you certainly don’t want to give the other horse any kind of lead.”

While the development is a sign of the growing split between Apple and Google, which were once close partners, it could actually be good news for Google. The iOS-integrated version of the YouTube app, which Apple actually built, does not feature as much content as the YouTube website, with its catalogue of music videos in particular lacking. Google also does not show ads on the Apple app, removing what is likely a key revenue stream. By developing its own app, Google will be able to showcase its content on Apple devices and highlight its growing range of premium content, while making money through ads.

Nevertheless, it will make it harder for users to access YouTube from their iPhones and iPads, with owners now having to actively download the app. Apple has not said if it is considering integrating another video app on iOS 6 or developing its own, as it did with mapping. The move also raises questions over Apple’s deal with Google for search, with analysts questioning if Apple will renew the agreement that sees Google installed as the default search engine on Apple devices.