Palm Reports Apple to USB Compliance Organization Over iTunes Syncing Issues

[MacRumors]

In a statement made to Digital Daily yesterday, Palm acknowledges firing yet another salvo in the ongoing dispute between Apple and Palm over the Palm Pre's ability to sync iTunes media by emulating an iPod, claiming that it has reported Apple to the USB Implementers Forum for improper use of the Vendor ID used to identify devices using the USB interface.

"Palm has released webOS 1.1, which, along with offering more robust EAS support for business users, re-enables Palm media sync," said company spokesperson Lynn Fox. "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."

Palm's webOS 1.1 update issued yesterday restores the syncing connectivity broken by Apple last week with the release of iTunes 8.2.1.

As PreCentral points out, the move is a bold statement by Palm given the company's apparent misuse of Apple's USB Vendor ID in order to permit iTunes media syncing.

I just plugged my 1.1 Pre into my Mac in Media Sync mode and sure enough, it's identifying itself with an Apple USB Vendor ID:

Product ID: 0x8002
Vendor ID: 0x05ac (Apple Inc.)
Version: 0.16
Manufacturer: Palm Inc.

Such use of another manufacturer's Vendor ID is "strictly prohibited" by the USB Implementers Forum:

When you apply for a USB Vendor ID, you sign a form that explicitly states that:

"Unauthorized use of assigned or unassigned USB Vendor ID Numbers and associated Product ID Numbers are strictly prohibited."

Based on Palm's actions, it appears that the company believes that Apple's refusal to allow open access to iTunes via USB is a severe enough violation of the relatively open nature of the USB standards that it is willing to violate standards itself in order to work around Apple's restrictions.

We can make a guess: USB being a relatively open (albeit opt-in) 'standard,' either Palm thinks it's improper for iTunes to only allow connectivity with certain Vendor IDs. Since they feel they're in the right there, I guess they don't mind wading into the gray area of spoofing another company's USB Vendor ID.

Article Link: Palm Reports Apple to USB Compliance Organization Over iTunes Syncing Issues

 

[Full of Win]

Let me guess whats next, Apple will call Palm a stupi-face and Palm will come and take Apples crayons away.

Guys - grow up, this tattletale stuff is BS.

 

[schalkse]

This is war!

 

[yoak]

One should think that if they were confident enough in their product line Apple wouldn´t care about this.
But they sure do

 

[Goona]

So you hack itunes to pretend you're and ipod and then report Apple? The audacity of these folks.

 

[MacMini2009]

This is war!

World War 3!

 

[nostaws]

If I owned a pre I would love for it to sync with iTunes. However, Apple spent money acquiring iTunes parts and pieces and money and time developing it. Palm doesn't have a right to use it without paying something to apple.

I love palm and their products but they are wrong on this one.

 

[stellarceltic]

So you hack itunes to pretend you're and ipod and then report Apple? The audacity of these folks.

Palm doesn't hack iTunes

 

[schalkse]

So you hack itunes to pretend you're and ipod and then report Apple? The audacity of these folks.

Indeed. This is starting to go into the same direction as Psystar.
Someone @ Palm must really hold a grunge against Apple for taking this road.

 

[Goona]

Palm doesn't hack iTunes

Then how did itunes recognize the Pre as an ipod and why is it now recognizing the Pre as being made by Apple?

 

[stridemat]

I sense this wont get very far before Apple put a stop to it! Look what's happening to Pystar for doing something not totally dissimilar...

 

[SuperJudge]

This is bogus.

Palm can't be arsed to write their own media sync software and then get uppity when Apple won't let them make use of their proprietary software for free?

Yeah, this is really going to end well for Palm, I'm sure.

 

[pika2000]

LOL. So Palm is saying it's okay to spoof other manufacture's vendor ID, while it is obviously pointed out that that is not okay? How ironic. It's like Palm becomes a desperate sore looser. Really, I expected highly of Palm with Rubinstein on the helm, not this kind of childish Palm.

In the meantime, a flurry of Andoid phones are coming. Instead of playing this game with Apple, Palm should be watching out for Android.

 

[Cynicalone]

Palm is really taking a chance here, this could backfire on them. Palm is the one improperly using USB not Apple.

 

[saving107]

World War 3!

Actually World War 5, the situation is so bad we're skipping 3 and 4.






totally bad joke I know, but I saw it on a tv show not to long ago and I for some reason just remembered.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Anyone think this is going to backfire big time on Palms part?

 

[gigidey]

Then how did itunes recognize the Pre as an ipod and why is it now recognizing the Pre as being made by Apple?

That still doesn't make it a hack. It may not be "legit", but its not a hack.

 

[ImNoSuperMan]

Stop bitching palm. Didnt you stole enough apple employees to copy the itunes code, change the theme and create preTunes app

 

[saab]

Yeah, Palm, how about writing your own software instead of piggybacking on Apple and complaing about their lack of "support"?

 

[CaptainScarlet]

Palm is convinced that without the iTunes connection for the Pre, they wont succeed here. That's pretty sad when Palm always had great products.

 

[ethana]

As much as I love competition for the iPhone, and I think Palm has a great product on their hands that has made me contemplate developing for them (just as I do Apple's App Store), I think Palm is walking a fine line with the law here.

It is my opinion that Palm is illegally accessing iTunes. They spoof an Apple device to get access to iTunes. Although this is a security hole/bug by Apple, that doesn't give Palm the right to do this, just as a security hole in IE doesn't give people the right to silently install something on someone's computer (see Zango vs. FCC).

Just because you feel interoperability is the way things SHOULD be, doesn't mean you should go about getting to that in the wrong way.

 

[SuperJudge]

In the meantime, a flurry of Andoid phones are coming. Instead of playing this game with Apple, Palm should be watching out for Android.

Yes, exactly! This is a wasted effort on the part of Palm. If Apple doesn't want their software to be used by a device unsanctioned by them, then guess what? They don't have to allow it.

 

[Goona]

That still doesn't make it a hack. It may not be "legit", but its not a hack.

Dude are you serious, "hack", "legit". What difference does it make? I guess Apple is the manufacturer of the Pre. Enough with this semantics crap.

 

[actripxl]

You know what I'm backing Palm on this one for a simple reason, I love iTunes but I don't want to have to use an iPod with it. The iPod rocks but I'm an audiophile and would like to get the Sony X series since it seems to sound better from reviews and use it with iTunes.

 

[Goona]

Hey Palm why doesn't your Pre sync with Zune Desktop, why aren't you reporting Microsoft to the USB group.