iTunes & Palm Pre Syncing Update: In Short, Forget it [USB Implementers Forum Wades In, Palm Left Red Faced]

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We’ve covered the ongoing issues concerning Palm Pre and iTunes syncing (or, as has been of late, the lack of it) on a number of occasions here on TFTS and now, whilst we hate to be the harbingers of bad news, its looking like Palm Pre owners can pretty much forget syncing their handsets with iTunes for good (notwithstanding certain third part apps that’ll still grant you access) thanks to the USB Implementers Forum getting involved.

Interestingly, the USB Implementers Forum have become involved very much at Palm’s invitation thanks to Palm complaining that Apple is ‘constricting trade’ in ceasing to allow the Pre to sync with iTunes but Palm’s decision to go to the USB Implementers Forum to express their frustrations has back-fired spectacularly with the body, who oversee standards for USB connections, falling firmly on Apple’s side. Not only have the USB Implementers Forum made it clear that Apple are quite within their rights to block Pre access to iTunes but, crucially, they have turned the tables on Palm in stating that its actually Palm who are in violation of the group membership agreement in facilitating the Palm Pre as masquerading as an iPod or, as Apple term it, a device falsely pretending to be an iPod in order to sync with iTunes.

Doubtless, it’s red faces all round at Palm right now as what they initially saw as an avenue that would potentially serve to cajole Apple into ceasing to block Palm Pre iTunes access could not have backfired any more disastrously than it evidently has.

If you own a Pre and you’re waiting for iTunes access, without the intervention of third party apps, to come your way then, sadly, its now looking so much more unlikely that you’d probably put it from your mind.

Still, its nice to know that Palm have been actively fighting your corner even if, in trying to get the doors opened, they’ve been left firmly out in the cold – and, in fairness, its not as if the USB Implementers Forum don’t have a particularly valid point – however unsavoury a point it may be.

UPDATE: It’s not over yet – see Palm Pre iTunes Sync Fixed by WebOS 1.2.1 [Pre Syncing with iTunes Back On, But Probably Not For Long].