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Palm engaged in handbag fight with Apple

Itunes is ours dammit
Thursday, 18 June 2009, 10:32

FRUIT-THEMED toymaker Apple is getting miffed that Palm has dared to sync its gadgets to its glorious Itunes digital store.

Apple printed a tech note reminding users of the dangers of using unsupported third-party media devices with Itunes.

Of course, if people don't think Itunes will work with rival gizmos then they will not buy Palm.

However Palm has opted to call Apple's bluff. As a company spokesperson pointed out if Apple chooses to disable media sync in a future version of Itunes, it will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronisation.

Apple might consider this, but there is probably no need to look quite that much of a bully. People could stick with an old Itunes version or transfer music via USB. Ultimately Apple would win the syncing war if it was prepared to swallow the short term PR fall out.

According to PC World, common sense says that Apple will let Palm in and if anything goes wrong it can tell punters “we told you so”. Meanwhile it is still collecting dosh from people using Palms to buy things on the store. The question is: can Apple unclench a little? µ

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Comments
Hehe

If Apple had any sense they'd consider these Palm users to still be iTunes customers, ignoring what device they use. While they may not have expensive Apple hardware, these users are still contributing to Apple's coffers when they use the iTunes Store.

posted by : Sam, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
Doesn't work that way

Sam, Apple claim they don't make money out of Itunes - it all goes to the media cartels and the running costs. To Apple, Itunes is nothing but a way of selling their Ipod hardware, and so they obviously don't want anyone else parasiting off Itunes and therefore costing them money.

posted by : JD, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
So App store works with pre

"App store works with pre" was one of the first things i was asked by a pre owner followed by how do i get app x to install on my pre it wont sync.

This damages Apple as it could be seen as there software causing the problem.

And @JD i think Apple get something like 7% gross from each iTunes sale, but 30% from every Appstore sale so this will in fact give Apple nothing other than something new to sue the Palm boys over other than Multi Touch.

It is safe to say Apple have learned from history not to let things like this go anymore and to protect it with a barrel as Apple lost out on its GUi Xerox licensed it and Microsoft came out with the Mac Clone not a Xerox clone. Af if it where a Xerox clone there would not have been Apple innovations like over lapping windows that took many months to work out how that concept works

Palm used to be a innovative company with a lot of talent and original ideas, now they have be come nothing more than copycats which is a shame some of the ideas for the Pre are solid but why steel Multitouch© knowing full well Apple patented the hell out of it for the handheld market and publicly stated they would chase infringers to the ends of the earth. And why rub more salt into the wound by telling iTunes you are a iPod.

posted by : Jeri, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
I smell lawsuit

I believe Microsoft tried this back in the 90's- using a monopolized position to shut out competitors- and lost. Go ahead Apple, try it.

Of course, Microsoft was also on the Palm side of things when it first unveiled MSN Messenger and promised AIM compatibility, which was the big fish in the sea at the time. Every week or so Apple would do an update which would break compatibility, and two days later MSN would issue an update which restored compatibility.

posted by : Anti Fan Boy, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
Apple Needs to Fire Their PR People

Ticking off customers and the general populace does them no good at all. In case no one has noticed, the sentiment and attitudes towards Apple have been going downhill over the past year and antics like this don't help. They will soon be labeled as the new M$.

posted by : Ken, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
As a Pre and iPod owner...

Being able to synch via iTunes is not a big deal to me. The Pre has only 8GB total storage and less than that is actually usable. Granted, it would be convenient to be able to sync a playlist from iTunes to my Pre, but my primary music device is still an iPod. The ability to sync (or not) with iTunes did not influence my decision to get a Pre. My decision was based on the fact that I'm already into Sprint for 5 lines for my family. The ATT&T data plan (which is the only option for an Apple iPhone)was just too expensive!

I hope Apple sees the issue for what it is, namely a non-issue!

posted by : Bill, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
@Anti Fan Boy

Anti Fan Boy laddy why would Apple a company that at the time and even now has no say in the management of AIM which is run by a separate company which at the time was AOL and even now it only uses the AIM protocol for iChat and still has no say in how that protocol is developed.
I fail to see how Apple where breaking AIM compatibility with MSN Messenger when for a start it would be like me going into a chip shop and telling them not to serve people from across the street to me.

posted by : jeri, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
@jeri

First, Apple integrated much of Xerox's Gui in the Mac OS, not the other way around, and second, Apple did not create multi touch. Yes they have patents but so do other companies.

posted by : Thomas, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
@Thomas

What are you on about of course Apple licensed the GUI from Xerox, i have made no clam to the contrary except that Apple were the first to get application windows to overlap as well and many other things not on the original demo that Apple was invited to attend.

And once again Apple holds the copyright for Multitouch on a mobile device and i yet again make no claim that Apple made it though they are the ones that made it something special and own a stack load of patents they wont let go of this time as the did with Microsoft. If you remember your history Apple licensed the concept from Xerox and developed it into something usable. Microsoft did no such thing and had no permissions, in addition Microsoft payed no royalties for Apples innovations like resizable windows, over lapping windows, ect.

posted by : Jeri, 18 June 2009 Complain about this comment
@Anti Fan Boy

AIM: AOL Instant Messenger, not Apple Instant Messenger. I don't think Apple has a patent on company names that begin with A.

posted by : Scottboy, 19 June 2009 Complain about this comment
You're a smartypants

Your constant use of the phrase "Fruit-themed toy maker" to describe Apple shows either a certain unprofessional bias you have against the company, or simply a sophomoric (that means childish and immature...) attitude that you have in life generally.

I suspect - hmmm - both...

posted by : Pauliculus, 28 July 2009 Complain about this comment
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