Is there a way to transfer music files to a (not jailbroken) Iphone via USB?

April 15, 2010 2:46 PM

Is there a way to transfer music files to a (not jailbroken) Iphone via USB? (for listening to, not just as disk storage).

Title says it all! Thanks for any help you might be able to give :-)

posted by sinbarambam to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

This seems like an obvious answer, but iTunes.
posted by kirstk at 2:53 PM on April 15, 2010 [4 favorites]

http://www.getsharepod.com/

Fantastic software, does exactly that.
posted by shinynewnick at 2:55 PM on April 15, 2010 [1 favorite]

And to clarify, SharePod is Windows based, requires iTunes to be installed (but not used), and syncing with your regular iTunes will lose the tracks added via SharePod. I use it to put music and audiobooks on my iPhone 3GS from my laptop while I'm away from home.
posted by shinynewnick at 2:59 PM on April 15, 2010

MediaMonkey can sync with iPhones
posted by Hairy Lobster at 3:08 PM on April 15, 2010

SharePod is Windows based, requires iTunes to be installed (but not used)

NOT true. SharePod will function with iPods without installing the iTunes bloatware, but if you wish to sync with the iPhone/iTouch you'll have to extract AppleMobileDeviceSupport.msi and QuickTime.msi (yes, you'll have to install the QuickTime shitware first, unfortunately).
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:15 PM on April 15, 2010

Copytrans manager is free .Lets you copy music to your ipod/iphone for free. To copy from the ipod/iphone to the computer you have to pay but its worth it.

All you need installed is the driver for the phone or ipod.

Also copy trans listens to customers when they want a feature added. They have a facebook account where they list new features and where you can suggest new features for the product.
posted by majortom1981 at 4:26 AM on April 16, 2010

Response by poster: This is awesome, thanks so much for responding. This has been my main frustration with the Iphone (I *hate* Itunes), so THANKS!!!!!
posted by sinbarambam at 2:52 PM on April 16, 2010

Response by poster: A follow-up question, if I may....Sharepod works a dream but today I noticed that all the files that I had transferred are now gone. I did not delete them myself. Is this perhaps something to do with Itunes deleting them?

Thanks!
posted by sinbarambam at 9:53 AM on April 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

When you sync your iPhone for real with iTunes after using Sharepod, your added music gets dumped from the database - meaning they are still on your iPhone, but can no longer be found and played.

There is a solution - you can use Sharepod to move files from your iPhone to your desktop before you sync it, and then drop those files into iTunes to sync regularly. Make sure you do the following:

1. Transfer files from iPhone to computer via Sharepod.
2. Delete files from iPhone via Sharepod.
3. Bring those files from the computer into iTunes.
4. Sync with iTunes.

If you don't delete the files via Sharepod, there is a possibility those files will remain orphaned on your iPhone and gradually take up space.
posted by shinynewnick at 10:30 AM on May 12, 2010