Finally, the Universal Serial Bus Implementer's Forum [USB-IF] has ruled on the efficacy of Palm's technique for getting the Pre to sync with iTunes, and, guess what? Surprise, surprise, Palm apparently did not play by the rules.
The USB-IF rules, that is. Here is how this aspect of the USB standard works in a nutshell. Every company that makes USB-compliant products registers for and gets ONE "Vendor ID", or VID. Only they can use that VID to identify their products to computers they are connected to. It appears, in order to get iTunes to recognize the Pre as a compatible device, Palm hijacked Apple's VID. Technically, this is a simple and effective way to get things to work. Unfortunately, this is not a technical issue. When Palm joined the USB-IF, they agreed to abide by the rules of membership. This practice violates those rules. It's as simple as that.
The REAL question here, however, is if Apple should be allowed to restrict other companies from making devices that can interact with iTunes the way the iPod does.
Well let's see here. Apple created and owns iTunes. Apple created and owns all the iPods. Shouldn't they be allowed to reap the rewards from their efforts? Why should they, after expending years and millions of dollars, be forced to allow all their competitors to glom onto their success and reap the rewards of their investment without doing the work? Seems unfair, right?
Whoa. Wait a minute. There are other parallels here. Seems to me there is another company in a little town near Seattle, WA, that owns a dominant piece of software. For years they have been under the microscope of legal authorities, being told that they must "open up" their operating system and let others have "equal access" to the technology they created, without ever paying them a cent. How is it OK for Apple to openly dominate one market, but completely wrong for Microsoft?
Truth is...it's not.
Every company should have the right to openly compete to dominate any market they choose, as long as they operate in a legal and ethical manner. But, when they do succeed, when they do achieve market dominance, the rules must change. When you are dominant in your market by a wide margin, you now attain a special status. You are no longer protected, because you no longer need protection.
So, just as Microsoft has had to learn this lesson, it is now time for Apple to learn it. Apple needs to open up interfaces and APIs to any technology which locks competitors out of any market in which they are dominant by a wide margin. That includes portable media players and smartphones.
Sorry Apple. Welcome to Microsoft's world.
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I'm not necessarily a fan of FORCING people to open up, even as an avowed Microsoft hater (Tom, you could speak volumes about that topic!)
ReplyDeleteBut.....
If Apple doesn't watch itself, it's going to be in the same situation as MS was with the Windows API's. Face it, iTunes is the defacto and largest gig out there and Apple is going to be forced to open up. So, the question in my mind is do they do it on their own terms to fend off the regulators or will they do it on someone else's terms?
BTW, I'm not so sure I really understand Apple's position on this. they own the control point, they own the store, they are reaping the benefits for all of the music purchased. Why would they not allow third party devices to plug in?
The reason is that they continue to think of themselves as a hardware company and that the software is the stuff that they have to do to differentiate their hardware. But they're not anymore. Some day they are going to realize this and all kinds of things will open up.
-bill
(typing this on my Dell NetBook running MacOS X Snow Leopard)
Bill,
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with you. Apple will have to open up sometime. But that does not make PALM right by violating the agreement they made with the USB-IF. As always, we tend to think in terms of "right" and "wrong" instead of "legal". That's why we have lawyers [unfortunately]. People simply are predisposed to re-interpret subjective comments in their own favor.
Having said all that, however, Apple's game is a funny one I agree. It's almost as if the guys in the hardware group are in charge of what the guys in the iTunes group are doing...? Go figure.
In the end, they will open it up.
Thanks for the comment!