Palm fights back against Apple with Pre update

webOS 1.1 re-enables media sync with iTunes

24 July 2009 9:08 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Palm has gone on the attack against Apple and issued a software update for its Pre smartphone that re-enables iTunes syncing.

Apple took the aggressive move to block Palm's new mobile from being able to sync with iTunes - a selling point for the new phone - on 15 July. At the time it said the iTunes 8.2.1 update "disables devices falsely pretending to be iPods, including the Palm Pre".

Palm has now fired back, issuing its own update - webOS 1.1 - that makes hook-up with Apple's media management software possible again. In a blog post the company states:

"Oh, and one more thing: Palm webOS 1.1 re-enables Palm media sync. That’s right - you once again can have seamless access to your music, photos and videos from the current version of iTunes (8.2.1)".

In addition the new firmware brings support for emoticons in the messaging app, and the ability to set "person reminder" in the contacts app, additions to support for Exchange ActiveSync including remote wipe, PIN/password requirements, inactivity timeout and improved certificate handling.

Palm's shares dropped on the news of the Apple block, so it's unsurprising it's trying to reintroduce the popular feature, meanwhile Apple's actions to defend its proprietary software from those piggybacking its hard work can also be understood from a business point of view.

It will be interesting to see how quickly Apple responds to this latest move from Palm, and whether it turns into a cat-and-mouse update game, or takes a more formal, perhaps legal, twist. We will keep you posted.

Via: blog.palm.com

Full tags

Phones, Palm, Apple, iTunes, Biz, Software, Pre