iTunes 9 Breaks Palm Pre Media Sync Again
by John Paczkowski
Posted on September 9, 2009 at 3:02 PM PT
Like we didn’t see this one coming. Among the new features of Apple’s iTunes 9 media software is one that wasn’t announced this morning: An update that prevents the Palm Pre from synching with it. This should come as no surprise since Apple (AAPL) has done this before, most recently with iTunes 8.2.1, which, as Apple spokesperson Nat Kerris explained to me at the time, “disables devices falsely pretending to be iPods, including the Palm Pre.”
Reached for comment this afternoon, Kerris had nothing much else to add beyond that first statement: “Yes, as we’ve said before, newer versions of Apple’s iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with unsupported digital media players.”
Palm (PALM), of course, re-enabled the synching feature a few weeks later with a point release to its webOS. It will come as no surprise if the company does the same this time. And the two companies will go round and round until someone gets tired or the lawyers are called in.
UPDATE: Palm has confirmed to me that iTunes 9 does indeed break WebOS media sync. The company had no further comment on the issue, beyond the ones it gave me in July.
Palm’s media sync works with iTunes 8.2. If Apple chooses to disable media sync in iTunes, it will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronization experience. However, people will have options. They can stay with the iTunes version that works to sync their music on their Pre, they can transfer the music via USB, and there are other third-party applications we can consider.
Palm believes that openness and interoperability offer better experiences for users by allowing them the freedom to use the content they own without interference across devices and services, so on behalf of consumers, we have notified the USB Implementers Forum of what we believe is improper use of the Vendor ID number by another member.
Comments
> And the two companies will go
> round and round until
… Palm goes out of business. Any moment now.
Posted by Fred Hamranhansenhansen at September 9th, 2009 at 4:05 pmThis is a childish game Apple plays. This type of behavior will hunt them in the future. Apple made this mistake with OS and hardware in the past. itunes is has a much bigger revenue potential than iPhone, but Apple is trying to protect iPhone at the cost of ruining iTunes .
Posted by David Robins at September 10th, 2009 at 2:35 am“itunes is has a much bigger revenue potential than iPhone,”
David: I really don’t see iTunes revenue, and especially profit, coming anywhere near the iPhone……ever. The iPhone is an enormous cash cow, iTunes is a low-margin, loss leader…….
Posted by Denis Goodwin at September 10th, 2009 at 8:33 amThis is a childish game Apple plays. This kind of behavior will hunt them in the future. Apple made this mistake with Os and hardware in the past…….And about the Iphone,The iPhone is an enormous cash cow, iTunes is a low-margin, loss leader…….
Posted by shelly kane at September 21st, 2009 at 1:56 am==============================
SHELLY KANE