Is Apple’s Closing Of iTunes Gates On Palm Pre Justified?

The new iTunes version, which is a free software update is supposed to provide a number of bug-fixes. It will also do a verification to check whether the hardware using it is strictly an Apple product. Palm Pre mobile phone was released earlier in June 2009. Syncing this handheld with iTunes was advertised as ‘easy and elegant’ by Palm, making it seem like using this feature as one of the selling aspects.

This drastic step of blocking iTunes syncing for the Palm Pre smartphone, did not happen overnight. Apple had earlier (in June 2009) mentioned that they do not support or provide compatibility of the iTunes with third party products. They also stated that software keeps changing and future releases might not provide syncing capability with non-Apple devices.

At that time, a Palm spokesman had suggested that Palm users must stick on to the compatible version of the iTunes or use a cable to transfer the music files from PCs to their mobile phones or get a software that does the sync.

Before the release of the first iPhone in 2007, Apple did provide compatibility of their iTunes with handsets from Motorola. However, when the iPhone came into the market, the company discontinued this compatibility. Nokia then came up with software of their own for allowing their handsets to access files from iTunes. Blackberry have their own media syncing software too.

Is Apple justified in blocking Palm Pre access to iTunes? How will this step impact Palm Pre sales? Some people, including some Palm Pre users support Apple in their move. They blame Palm for ‘hack and use’ of another company’s software. On the other hand there are some who believe that Apple is being a ‘spoilt fruit’. Considering the Palm Pre, many still feel that the smartphone can stay alive in the market as there is a lot more to it than just syncing up with the new iTunes version.