After months of back and forth bickering, it appears that Palm has finally given up on its attempts to ensure that the Palm Pre can sync up with iTunes. A few days ago, Palm released WebOS 1.2 to its users, and this time around, it decided not to masquerade the device with an Apple USB vendor ID as it had been doing previously.
After months of back and forth bickering, it appears that Palm has finally given up on its attempts to ensure that the Palm Pre can sync up with iTunes. A few days ago, Palm released WebOS 1.2 to its users, and this time around, it decided not to masquerade the device with an Apple USB vendor ID as it had been doing previously.
Over the past few months, Apple has periodically upgraded iTunes, and in doing so, it has consistently prevented the Pre from syncing with iTunes. Twice before, Palm has followed up an Apple iTunes update with a WebOS update of their own that re-enables iTunes syncing, but this time around, Palm may have realized that it was fighting a losing battle.
In response to Apple preventing the Pre from syncing up with iTunes as seamlessly as an iPod or an iPhone, Palm filed a complaint with the USB Implementers Forum claiming that Apple’s policy of discriminating against third party USB vendor ID’s wasn’t in the interest of consumers and constituted an abuse of power. At the same time, though, the Pre was able to hook up with iTunes precisely because the device was spoofing an USB vendor ID from Apple, a fact which was undoubtedly not in accordance with the rules USB vendors must abide by.
Last week, the USB Implementers Forum sided with Apple, and specficially chastised Palm for its actions, noting that “usage of any other company’s Vendor ID is specifically precluded. Palm’s expressed intent to use Apple’s VID appears to violate the attached policy.” Moreover, the non-profit forum stated that Apple’s actions in blocking the Pre were permissible and did not constitute improper conduct.
In reaction to the ruling, Palm stated: “We engaged with teh USB-IF because we believe consuemrs shoudl have freedom and choice in how and where they use the non-rights managed media they already own.” Palm also noted that they would continue to press the issue, but given that their latest WebOS update hasn’t restored Pre/iTunes compatibility, it seems that Palm has finally decided to give up.
