Apple doesn’t even need to do that. They can send the DOJ after Beeper.
Many people hear about a reverse entering exception in the DMCA and call it a day. But it’s not that simple.
Reverse engineering is allowed for a very narrow case, namely interoperability between two software programs (for which you have a license granting you legal permission to use), as defined in paragraph 4 of Section 103(f).
The DMCA decidedly does not permit you to use reverse engineering to package someone else's software or service and sell it.
Jurisprudence also established that EULAs that explicitly prohibit reverse engineering supersede the exception granted in the DMCA, see Bowers v. Baystate Technologies, 320 F.3d 1317 (Fed. Cir. 2003)[0]
Apple has explicitly forbidden reverse engineering in their macOS license agreement[1], the iOS license agreement[2], and the Apple Media Terms of Service[3].
Agreement with those terms is necessary to reach the parts that need reverse engineering.
There’s also the matter that the pypush repository seems to include Apple’s proprietary code, which wouldn’t fall under reverse engineering.
Worst of all, even if reverse engineering was allowed, it still doesn't allow you to connect to other people's servers. The Computer Fraud Abuse Act of 1986 explicitly prohibits unauthorized access to computer systems, and the DMCA exception doesn't supersede the CFAA.
A lot of states have criminal statutes that mirror the CFAA.
So, at this point, it wouldn’t be inconceivable for Apple to try and get the DOJ involved.
The file system on iOS isn't exposed, so you can't browse around in the files and folders and copy it somewhere there.
Instead, each app has its own little container with files, so you can use iTunes on Windows or Finder on macOS to copy it into either a specific app’s container or the Files app’s container.
If you do the latter, then you can access it on the device via the Files app and third-party music players.
The stock Music app provided by Apple doesn't get access to the files in the Files app. Instead, it maintains its own library synced with other devices, with the option to import your music files into that library.
The optimistic reading of this is that this prevents apps from accessing files that they have no business looking into. The pessimistic reading is that this prevents users from messing around with files and prevents them from tweaking or hacking apps.
I think the truth is a little bit of column A and a little bit of column B.
> And, um...how would you even "manually copy" music to an iPhone or iPad? The only way I know of puts it in the Files app, rather than the Music app, leaving it unable to be played "as music" (though you can, of course, still play the audio files one by one).
There are a couple of ways. You can import it via iTunes/Finder into the Files container, like you said. The stock Music app won’t read and play it, but third-party music player apps will.
Another option is to import it into your Apple Music library, f/k/a iTunes library.
That way, it’s playable in the stock Music app and available on other devices as well (although it might need an Apple Music subscription, not sure).
Many people hear about a reverse entering exception in the DMCA and call it a day. But it’s not that simple.
Reverse engineering is allowed for a very narrow case, namely interoperability between two software programs (for which you have a license granting you legal permission to use), as defined in paragraph 4 of Section 103(f).
The DMCA decidedly does not permit you to use reverse engineering to package someone else's software or service and sell it.
Jurisprudence also established that EULAs that explicitly prohibit reverse engineering supersede the exception granted in the DMCA, see Bowers v. Baystate Technologies, 320 F.3d 1317 (Fed. Cir. 2003)[0]
Apple has explicitly forbidden reverse engineering in their macOS license agreement[1], the iOS license agreement[2], and the Apple Media Terms of Service[3].
Agreement with those terms is necessary to reach the parts that need reverse engineering.
There’s also the matter that the pypush repository seems to include Apple’s proprietary code, which wouldn’t fall under reverse engineering.
Worst of all, even if reverse engineering was allowed, it still doesn't allow you to connect to other people's servers. The Computer Fraud Abuse Act of 1986 explicitly prohibits unauthorized access to computer systems, and the DMCA exception doesn't supersede the CFAA.
A lot of states have criminal statutes that mirror the CFAA.
So, at this point, it wouldn’t be inconceivable for Apple to try and get the DOJ involved.
0: https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F3/320/320.F3d...
1: https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/macOSSonoma.pdf
2: https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/iOS16_iPadOS16.pdf
3: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/