To force the compatibility of its Pré with iTunes, Palm have been using Apple's unique identifier assigned by to the company by the USB Forum. This identifier is different for ALL USB device manufacturers and according to the contract it is forbidden the use identifier belonging to another company. To avoid any legal issue, Palm informed the USB Forum that it had used this trick to force iTunes to recognize its Pré as an iPod. The USB Forum did not initially react, but finally released its judgment and considers Palm as guilty of using third party USB identifier in its device and violating regulations. In addition, the USB Forum does not think that Apple's strategy of using the USB identifier as an ID lock to manage its iPod/iPhone/iTunes ecosystem is against USB Forum regulations. Palm will have to respond to this statement and find a new strategy to make the Pré compatible with iTunes, as Apple strengthen the protection with iTunes 9.
