Palm Releases webOS 1.3.1, iTunes Media Sync Missing

[MacRumors]

Late last week, Palm announced the release of webOS 1.3.1 in its blog, and Boy Genius Report noted over the weekend that iTunes media synchronization is missing in this latest update.

Palm and Apple have played a cat-and-mouse game over the ability of Palm's webOS to sync media through iTunes since the release of the Palm Pre earlier this year. Prior to the Pre's release, Jon Johansen explained that the Pre was most likely presenting itself as an iPod in order to trick iTunes into recognizing it as a valid device with which to sync, a theory that turned out to be correct once the Pre was released.

Just over a month after the release of the Pre, an update to iTunes broke the device's ability to sync media directly via iTunes. In response, Palm re-enabled iTunes media synchronization with webOS 1.1, after which another iTunes update broke it once again. The cycle repeated yet again with iTunes 9 and webOS 1.2.1 before Apple fired the most recent salvo by disabling webOS media sync via iTunes once again with the release of iTunes 9.0.2.

In between these sallies, Palm had even complained to the USB Implementers Forum, claiming that Apple was improperly using the Vendor ID number in its use of the USB standard to exclude non-Apple devices from syncing with iTunes. In the end, the USB Implementers Forum sided with Apple and turned the tables on Palm, pointing out Palm's own failure to use the single Vendor ID assigned to the company and its products appropriately.

Given Palm's apparent tenacity when it comes to webOS and iTunes synchronization over the past few months, it may be premature to suppose that the company has given up its fight to sync directly with iTunes, but the company has yet to deploy any further attempts at compatibility.

Article Link: Palm Releases webOS 1.3.1, iTunes Media Sync Missing

[Macman1993]

Sounds like palms giving up its game with apple.

[lethalOne]

Does the Pre still report itself as an Apple device?

If it doesn't then they have given up.

[KnightWRX]

They could've licensed doubletwist or the Missing Sync months ago. Of course, then they wouldn't be in the press every few weeks.

[marco114]

why don't you make your own iTunes... or yet, just buy an iPod or iPhone.

[weezer160]

I hate smoochers. I feel the success of iPhone and iTunes is a two fronted battle. Whenever someone thinks they've created an iPhone killer, they don't realize how important the software is. Even this situation with Palm and Apple is a point in case: it was only able to gain some momentum because of the success of iTunes; it smooched of Apple.

Because the hardware is the more visible part of iPhone/iTunes, people forget that there is a software side to Apple's success which is implemented on the personal computer. And it's because of this visibility from hardware developers, it seems they are always attacking the iPhone blindly, not knowing how important the information you have on your phone is linked to the computer. That link between the phone and computer is where it comes down to the user interface and friendliness.

I know nothing about how Palm or Storm or anything back up their data, but surely it is difficult to see how and if anybody can compete with Apple on this. Just plug it in, select data, hit sync. At the same time you make a backup. Because you can do this on a PC with iTunes for Windows, that even strengthens that argument because, as I said, it's about the success of iPhone AND iTunes. Not just the more visible, handheld aspect.

[leducviolet]

because At&T sucks. and Sprint has great coverage in san francisco. i'll get an iphone once they leave AT&T.

[Makosuke]

Like KnightWRX said, given the number of man-hours that has probably gone into tweaking with USB identification and reverse-engineering the way Apple identifies devices, surely it would eventually be more cost-effective to either license an existing tool or even write your own in-house.

Not to mention then you don't look stupid when an iTunes update breaks synching.

Seriously, guys, your software dev team can't be that bad. Act like a company rather than a hacker and do it right.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by Macman1993

Sounds like palms giving up its game with apple.

Hopefully this is the case.

[Macman1993]

I don't get all the hate towards AT&T I have never had a problem with them and it only seems to be people here that actually have a problem with them.

[toomuchrock]

Originally Posted by Macman1993

I don't get all the hate towards AT&T I have never had a problem with them and it only seems to be people here that actually have a problem with them.

I think they're pricey and the whole lack of tethering is kinda annoying (as was the 'forever' to get MMS) but I've no problems with them. My wife says she drops more calls than she did with Sprint. Maybe, maybe not. Verizon always has a better signal than my AT&T phone (as it did with my T-Mobile before I switched for the iPhone). I'd like to see it on other networks, but not because I'm dying to switch, I'm just hoping the pressure would make AT&T open up and cheapen up.

[the-oz-man]

Did Palm honestly think they were going to win this one???

[charlituna]

Originally Posted by Macman1993

Sounds like palms giving up its game with apple.

My guess is that the IF told Palm if they didn't stop the games they could kiss permission to use USB good bye. And since that license is pretty dang important what with USB being THE connection du jour, Palm decided to give up.

Either that or whatever Apple did they can't figure out how to get around.

Originally Posted by leducviolet

because At&T sucks. and Sprint has great coverage in san francisco. i'll get an iphone once they leave AT&T.

if you are planning to get a Sprint iphone forget it. They are CDMA and have already contracted to use WiMax for like the next 5 years. both of which are the opposite tech that Apple is planning to support with the iphone.

so while perhaps one day there might be a Verizon phone (with LTE), won't never be a Sprint one.

[instaxgirl]

Does anyone else just feel sorry for your average phone buyer who's bought the phone after chatting with a sales assistant and is only now realising that the iTunes support they were told about isn't exactly official?

[CQd44]

Originally Posted by instaxgirl

Does anyone else just feel sorry for your average phone buyer who's bought the phone after chatting with a sales assistant and is only now realising that the iTunes support they were told about isn't exactly official?

would anyone really buy a phone just for this feature? =\

[macduke]

Why are so many people in this thread talking about AT&T?!? What does this even have to do with them?

I'd also like to add a big, fat, RED

SCREW OFF PALM

to this discussion. Thank you.

[Fastshutter]

Who really gets a black eye in this situation? If I'm a Palm user, wouldn't I be pissed at Apple, especially if I purchased content fron the iTunes music store for my PRE? Some of these people own Palm products because that is the only product their company will pay for. Apple isn't converting any of those users to personal devices by taking the approach they have.

[*LTD*]

Originally Posted by instaxgirl

Does anyone else just feel sorry for your average phone buyer who's bought the phone after chatting with a sales assistant and is only now realising that the iTunes support they were told about isn't exactly official?

Great way for Palm to screw over their customers. No regard for them.

And an updated WebOS? Does it really matter anymore?

[baryon]

Finally! What they were doing was ridiculous, not just because it's illegal or wrong or whatever, but because people who BUY the Palm Pre and want to use it won't ever be able to sync it with iTunes if it only works every second month... If it's unreliable, no one is going to use a feature....

By the way I saw a Palm Pre in an O2 shop a few days ago and seriously, it's a very weak device in my opinion! It feels cheap and made of bad quality plastic, the keys are way too small, and the screen resolution is so low you can count the pixels, not to mention the screen is small but it is made even smaller by the software-rounded corners... Whoever thought this was going to even try to compete against something like the iPhone obviously hasn't held the Pre in their hands yet... It's probably a good device in it's own category, but that's not the same category as the iPhone.

[MorphingDragon]

Originally Posted by CQd44

would anyone really buy a phone just for this feature? =\

Yes, People use iTunes even if they don't own an iPod.

---

More companies should do this, it'll force Apple to fix security holes.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

They could've licensed doubletwist or the Missing Sync months ago. Of course, then they wouldn't be in the press every few weeks.

I agree with this assessment. Besides being cheap it also got them a lot of free press for the Pre, which is likely the primary reason they did it. I know BB users who didn’t know RiM had an app for syncing their iTunes DB to their BB.

[Fastshutter]

Originally Posted by instaxgirl

Does anyone else just feel sorry for your average phone buyer who's bought the phone after chatting with a sales assistant and is only now realising that the iTunes support they were told about isn't exactly official?

If a feature of the phone was iTunes support, would they have grounds to cancel a 2 year contract now that the software is not available?

[Treq]

Originally Posted by CQd44

would anyone really buy a phone just for this feature? =\

I didn't buy my iPhone for the weather app or the stocks app, but if they stopped working, I'd still be angry.

[END3R]

Originally Posted by macduke

Why are so many people in this thread talking about AT&T?!? What does this even have to do with them?

I'd also like to add a big, fat, RED

SCREW OFF PALM

to this discussion. Thank you.

Dude, relax. What is Palm doing to you?

[AwakenedLands]

See, corporations can be childish too. Heaven forbid someone makes a device that can sync music on another program. Is it really that big of a deal Apple?

Hopefully there is a persistent coding nut out there who will make an open-source program that makes any device connected to a computer appear like an Apple device. Then all the resources spent on this will be a waste for Apple. This seriously is something I'd expect from a bitter ex-wife, not the holiest of corporations.

I like Apple's hardware, but their business practices are starting to stink. Petty stuff like this is just lame. And for those who come to Apple's aid here, all we are talking about is syncing things you purchased FROM Apple to your portable device.