Apple wins battle to keep Palm devices from synching with iTunes

September 24, 2009

An industry group decided on Wednesday that Apple was within its rights to block Palm devices - specifically the new Palm Pre - from using iTunes to sync playlists and other data.

Palm had earlier filed a complaint with the USB Implementers Forum, saying that Apple was restricting trade by refusing to allow non-Apple devices to interface with its software. The USB-IF responded by asserting that not only was Apple justified in restricting access to its proprietary software, but that a previously discussed strategy from Palm - programming the Palm Pre to impersonate an iPhone and so skirt Apple's regulations - was possibly in violation of the group's bylaws.

This is not the only public battle that Apple is currently involved in. A dramatic clash with rapidly diversifying search giant Google over access to the latter's Google Voice service via iPhones has become acrimonious, soon after concerns were raised over possible anti-trust violations due to close ties between the two companies' boards of directors.

Experts say that the decision hurts Palm more than it benefits Apple, as the former company is dependent on strong sales of the new Pre to bolster its faltering profits.

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