As we’ve (and by that, I mean me) talked about in this space earlier, there is an ongoing skirmish between Apple and Palm over iTunes.

Apple has tried to eliminate its competitor’s access to iTunes through new updates (iTunes 9 did it) aimed at making the software unusable in Palm’s new Pre cell phone.

At CNET, you can read about how Palm has appealed Apple’s latest move to a group called the USB Implementers Forum. That doesn’t sound like a very powerful group, but names can be deceiving:

The voice of the USB-IF is strong in this case since the group is responsible for issuing Apple the hardware vendor ID that lets its devices connect to iTunes via USB. Palm has used this process to its advantage by simulating the same ID for the Palm Pre, tricking iTunes into thinking the Pre is an Apple device.

That method of tricking the software, apparently, is going to have to stop. After Palm said it planned a new update of its own to once again emulate Apple’s code, the USB-IF told Palm what would be in violation of the group’s rules.