Should Apple let 3rd party devices like the Palm Pre sync with your music collection via iTunes?

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GO APPLE!!! SHUT DOWN THE PRE!!! DONT LET THEM STEAL YOUR SOFTWARE!!! ~ which you don't make any money on anyway so everyone arguing otherwise just remember iTunes is used to sell hardware, so allowing this shit could potentially really hurt Apple, however unlikely

It's funny, I love open software, and freedom of information, but this seems wrong. Pre is essentially leveraging apples infrastructure without having ever contributed to the cost of development or maintenance. Seems shifty.

Apple should let the Pre use iTunes.
Remember that iTunes is for music management not iPhone management and to block competitors is tantamount to monopolizing... it's what got MS in trouble and it will get Apple in trouble with Kerry and the gang if they aren't careful

On mac, iTunes is like a part of iLife as the music player not an iPod extension. So on Mac it shouldn't be blocked from using other devices anymore than iPhoto should not show photos on non-apple monitors.

An windows, however, it is an iPod accessory and I think it fits that it should be restricted.

Not a perfectly coherent philosophy, but that's my gut.

cool. while they're at it, lets make sure iDVD only burns Mac-compatible disks, Quicktime only shows videos on an Apple Display, and Mail.app only receives mail from .me addresses.

On Mac or Windows, iTunes is a piece of software used to play and purchase music, video, and podcasts. it can also be used to transfer music, video, and podcasts to an Apple approved device. Apple didn't approve the Pre. If you don't like it, read the EULA and click "Don't Accept". Fact is, if you're using hte software, you clicked on "Agree" or "Accept" to accept the terms of use. This was one of those terms.

blabla. are you frightened? contracts are there to be broken.
Every legal term is there to be reviewed!
If it is "unfair" (limits MY freedom - I am the one who PAYS all this shit by BUYING these products), I have EVERY right to stand up and SUE them.

If its unfair, its your right not to buy it in the first place if you don't like the terms.

Did you pay for iTunes? No you did not, in this case, consumers pay palm for the phone, and palm markets it as being able to sync to iTunes. However, since iTunes isn't palms' software they have no right to market the pre that way, since they can't guarantee it working properly. By your logic I could rent your house with your mother included, even though the house is not legally mine.
Restricting or limiting YOUR freedom isn't reason enough to give you the right to sue companies or people. Limiting individual freedom is sometimes necessary in order to allow for greater collective freedom and safety. That's why, when you drive a vehicle, you keep driving on one side of the road: true, it limits your freedom, yet you don't go sueing people because they don't allow you to ghostride: you accept it, because it helps society. In this case: if everybody could just take software created by others without paying, and use it for whatever commercial needs they have, no company would create new software (since the costs would be greater than the benefits of just ripping someone else's) and technological progress would come to a halt.

I exagerated a little to make a point here. The fact is, Palm is just free-riding here.

"Ruin is the destination toward which all men rush, each pursuing his own best interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the commons." - Hardin

Apple shouldn't have to go out of their way to ensure 3rd party devices sync via iTunes - that's the 3rd party's job - but they shouldn't be a dick and devote resources for the sole purpose of cutting them out, either.

I think the point a lot of people miss is the fact that you dont have to choose Apple to buy and listen to your music.

BUT a vast majority do because:

1) It is a good easy service
2) Ipods , Iphones etc are great products
3) it's all easy to use etc etc etc

No one twists anyones arm or forces people to use apple, there are other options it is just that people dont want the other options.

Just because the Apple ecosystem is huge and has worked and is used my the masses does not mean Apple should have to open it up, it's their hard work and mega investment thats made it what it is.

I get annoyed by these companies and people who seem to expect that just because Apples system is popular that that means Apple owes them something and should make it open to slather to all.

While i dont agree with all the things apple does, on the most part they do a reasonable job.

it is after all a business .. good luck to Apple

Excuse me but didn't iTunes support other mp3 players in the beginning?
Why do you lemmings now think that its wrong for itunes to support other players now? Gawd you freakin fanbois are such mindless droids now!
Watch as as the droids vote my comment down.

You know what I hate? People who think they are so damn cool and high by saying my comment will be voted down and people are retards for it. Guess what? THIS IS AN APPLE BLOG. I don't understand why you read it with all the Mindless Drones if you dont agree and decide to just write anti-apple comments in an Apple Blog... (I am thinkin you need some attn or something. Certain doctors will help.

Apple have a right to keep their software closed, but I think if other vendors want to encourage their users to use Apple's software, then Apple should be willing to let them use it.

I think of iTunes on the Mac as a part of iLife. On the Mac I think iTunes should work with other devices just like iPhoto works with non-apple displays.

Windows is another story. ITunes is just an iPod/Apple TV accessory in Windows. In that case, I am fine with it supporting only Apple-blessed hardware.

That's not the whole story, but that's my gut feeling on it.

Yes they have the right. It's their software and technically the Pre is tricking iTunes into thinking it's an iPod to make it work, so Palm isn't being very honest about it. So that's settled, they have the right. But why do they want to? I'm sure people getting the Pre have already considered the iPhone, and I don't think they're gonna change their mind about the Pre just because iTunes wouldn't sync with it. All allowing the Pre to use iTunes does is drive up their music sales. What's the problem then?

They shouldn't agressively block others from syncing but they shouldn't waste any time or resources making sure they can either. Make the others spend the time and resources, let Apple spend theirs on making their own products better.

They should not aggressively try to block third parties. However, they should invest zero resources making sure that they can either. Let the others worry about that, Apple should spend their time and money making their own products better.

If Palm lincences the siftware then there is issue. The fact that Palm hasn't linenced the sftware nor have they tried to(that is common knowledge) means that apple has every right to warn users of the Pre about compatability issues. For Palm to trick Itunes into thinking that it is an Ipod is the problem.

I appreciate Apple's ecosystem as original and very well done. However, it IS your music! Can you imagine accepting a closed system with CD's? You buy a CD, then can only play the music on a certain device? Totally unacceptable. I hope Apple wins through superior offerings, but when it comes down to it, you buy the music, and that music should be yours to do with and listen to as you please - not to be stuck on the closed system.

You still own your music and can use it with any software you like. This is not a closed system but an optimised system, the software is made to work with one device not any device.

Ummm... No. You do not own your music. You own limmited rights to play it. Studios own da music.

come on, if the pre is alowed to do that, apple will keep selling songs more than before, think about it ! now people that own a pre will buy songs from itunes.

iTunes is a service. A great service. Why not allow people who prefer the Pre to purchase entertainment media through the service. If anything it promotes the Apple brand and Apple products. My wife loves her new Pre. Actually, the UI/OS is pretty good. But I am waiting on my new iPhone 3G S. We own 3 MacBooks, 2 mac minis, 1 apple display and an Apple TV, we've both owned macs for 13 to 15 years - and update all of the mac kit probably every couple of years. She's also got an iPod. Does Apple really want us to start having to use an alternative service when we spend so much via iTunes... probably not. Let's say we start using that alternative service and like it. Is Apple thinking of this from that angle? Maybe. Perhaps this was simply a matter of "we don't know if when we upgrade iTunes that we may not accidently break something"... or "we can't be held responsible if that does happen".

Yes, Apple should let other devices sync with iTunes. Why? Because it is a hook. It would help introduce non-customers to Apple. And appease other customers who are Apple advocates, but may have an alternative product within their family unit. My son has an MP3 player, he's 3 - I'm not buying him an iPod Touch just yet. Would it help if I could Sync his singalong songs? Yes. Would it make me just that little bit more satisfied with Apple? Yes. Would it make me more of an advocate? Yes.

No, because Apple already provides a perfectly legitimate way to sync with iTunes and, given that iTunes is run primarily as a way to sell iPods, has every right to block this type of hack.

What's with all the no's? Has corporate America got you all so good that you couldn't care less about consumer choice and competition?

All the naysayers are corporate americans who lost believe in the "freedom".

I am what (probably many) people call an Apple fanboy, but I really think that Apple should offer third parties a standardized way to access the iTunes protocol - this will in fact help spreading the iTunes marketshare. Also Apple should legally unlock their friggin iPhones - this will support developers with additional sales. And finally Apple should allow a new adhoc distribution method of iPhone apps (and on device debugging) for ANYONE for free. Why the heck I dont have the right to email MY APP to anyone i'd like to?

It's MY damn iPhone - i have every right to do whatever i want with it.

The Apple ecosystem really needs hardcore Apple fans that speak up and sue the crap out of Apple (i am already on it). Their offerings and restrictions are entirely Un-European (I know that Apple is a US company) and I seriously hope that one day Apple has to pay an even bigger fine than Microsoft to the European Comission.

Its Apple's software. We have no say in what they can/should/could do with it. If they want to go out of their way to block 3rd party syncing, thats their choice. If you don't like it, you are just as free to choose different software.

Blocking the Pre is pointless. It's better to let as many people use iTunes as possible... they might buy a tune or two if they use iTunes, they certainly won't if they don't. Blocking anything out of iTunes doesn't make any business sense to me.

What Google pulled something like this, and cut off your mobile search, gmail, maps and apps if you weren't using Android? Be honest, fanbois, would you still say that was Google's prerogative?