Apple has posted a short support article warning that it does not support or guarantee operation with "non-Apple digital media players" in the current versions of iTunes. The article doesn't mention the Palm Pre specifically, but the timing of the post seems pointed squarely in the direction of the Pre's "Media Sync" feature.

"Apple is aware that some third-parties claim that their digital media players are able to sync with Apple software," according to the knowledge base article. "However, Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players."

The Palm Pre's method of syncing with iTunes is essentially an unauthorized—if clever—hack. The device masquerades as an older iPod model by reporting that model's product ID and Apple's vendor ID to the USB controller. Like we originally wrote, though, don't count on Media Sync working with iTunes indefinitely. Essentially, Apple is now telling us exactly the same thing.

Palm, for its part, is playing the role of an indignant child who wasn't invited to a party but tried to sneak in anyway. “If Apple chooses to disable media sync in a future version of iTunes, it will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronization experience," Palm spokesperson Lynn Fox told All Things Digital.

"However," she noted, "people will have options. They can stay with the iTunes version that works to sync their music on their Pre, they can transfer the music via USB, and there are other third-party applications we could consider."

Of course, Palm had the option of creating a syncing application that uses the XML-based iTunes Library file to sync music files—much as numerous other third-party utilities do—instead of passing off a hack as an advertised feature. To act like Apple is somehow screwing over Palm Pre users because it won't promise that the hack will work indefinitely is disingenuous.