USB standards body sides with Apple, slaps Palm
When the one-time smartphone market leader announced its Pre handset could sync seamlessly with iTunes, some pundits speculated that Apple might allow the infraction, giving their dominant digital music marketplace a competitive veneer. So much for that bit o’ wishful thinking.
Digital Daily reports that the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF), the industry group that oversees the Universal Serial Bus standard, has sided with Apple, denying Palm’s claim that the mothership is “hampering competition” by disabling the Palm Pre’s iTunes sync functionality. Further, the industry group also ruled that Palm’s unauthorized use of Apple’s Vendor Identification Number, needed to fool iTunes into believing the Pre was actually an iPod, is a violation of USB-IF policy.
The USB-IF letter to Apple and Palm reads in part:
“Palm will shortly issue an update of its WebOS operating system that uses Apple’s Vendor ID number for the sole purpose of restoring the Palm media sync functionality.
“I attach for your information the USB-IF’s adopted and published policy regarding Vendor Identification Numbers (VIDs). Under the Policy, Palm may only use the single Vendor ID issued to Palm for Palm’s usage. 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.
“Please clarify Palm’s intent and respond to this potential violation within seven days.”
An ugly day for Palm in general and perhaps the last day for the product manager or vice president charged with making iTunes syncing a reality.
Although there’s no doubt that I’m an iPod and Mac fan boy — slightly differentiable from being a pure Apple fan boy — I was secretly wishing that Palm would find a way for the Pre to continue syncing. That is, Apple legal so rarely loses whatever underdog image the company once had is now gone.
Then again, the third party iTunes sync utilities are still there and will continue, to varying degrees, to “work.” C’est la guerre…
What’s your take?
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September 23rd, 2009
FWIW, the Pre only mimics an iPod when told to; when hooking it up to a computer it asks: Media Mode, USB Mode, or Just Charge. Only Media Mode – the mode for syncing with iTunes – invokes the Apple VID. So Palm is clearly only misusing the VID to circumvent Apple’s attempt to monopolize iTunes-compatible media players.
I don’t think either firm is 100% right. Palm shouldn’t be telling Pre buyers that the device is iTunes compatible when they are using less-than-aboveboard methods to achieve it. OTOH, Apple needs to get a clue that the world does not revolve around them and that they are missing out on a lot of potential revenue from music sales by denying devices they don’t market.
Palm is being sneaky but Apple is being stupid.
Maybe Palm should license one of the 3rd party apps and bundle it with the Pre.