Palm Releases webOS 1.3.1, iTunes Media Sync Missing
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.
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.
Top Rated Comments
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29 months ago
Does the Pre still report itself as an Apple device?
If it doesn't then they have given up.
If it doesn't then they have given up.
29 months ago
They could've licensed doubletwist or the Missing Sync months ago. Of course, then they wouldn't be in the press every few weeks. :rolleyes:
29 months ago
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.
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.
29 months ago
because At&T sucks. and Sprint has great coverage in san francisco. i'll get an iphone once they leave AT&T.
29 months ago
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.
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.
29 months ago
Sounds like palms giving up its game with apple.
Hopefully this is the case.
29 months ago
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.
29 months ago
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.
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