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Apple licenses ActiveSync for the iPhone

by Scott McNulty Mar 6th 2008 at 2:35PM

Today Apple announced that they have licensed ActiveSync from Microsoft to enable full Exchange integration with the iPhone. The first thing you think of with ActiveSync is Push Email (that's when email is sent to your iPhone as soon as it is received, as opposed to on a schedule like every 15 minutes). ActiveSync includes that as well as:
  • Wireless calendar syncing
  • Wireless contact syncing
  • Remote wipe of the device if it is lost
This goes way beyond simple email, folks. This only works when you're connected to an Exchange backend though, so don't be afraid that someone can randomly wipe all the data from your iPhone.

ActiveSync will be included in the iPhone 2.0 software, available sometime in late June.

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Today Apple announced that they have licensed ActiveSync from Microsoft to enable full Exchange integration with the iPhone. The first...
 

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winkyeah

Yes. Now I can take the plunge and get my iPhone (AND cancel T-Mobile). I just wish they offered a 3G model.

March 07 2008 at 11:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jonathan

Am I the only person who wants Tasks on the iPhone? Why on earth aren't they syncing tasks over the air as well?

March 07 2008 at 7:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Michael Rose

ActiveSync's server component is included with Exchange 2003 and 2007, nothing extra to install or configure. Compare BES for Blackberry (additional server, additional CALs).

March 06 2008 at 6:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
scott

Someone please clarify.

Will the ActiveSync functionality provide for over-the-air sync like Blackberry?

Boy, I hope so. If not, c'mon Apple. Get with it. Blackberry has only done this for what, five years?

March 06 2008 at 4:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to scott's comment
Scott

Scott - yes, just as dbthree describes above, Exchange ActiveSync provides very similar functionality to that of a BES. Emails show up instantly on your mobile device (along with Contacts, Calendar synchronization, etc.)... all over the air.

March 06 2008 at 5:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David

EX-windows said...
"ActiveSync DOES NOT do Wireless Sync, it was removed by the Genius' at MS in ver4.1 do to whining IT depts."

@EX-windows

Exchange ActiveSync is not the same thing as the desktop software that is now known as Windows Mobile Device Center (or something like that).

Exchange ActiveSync IS true push email, over the air. It's an infinitely better setup than BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) since your data isn't going from Exchange through your BES to RIM back down through your wireless provider. It's a better setup for Windows Mobile devices, too. But I'm quite excited (as are a few others at my company) that we'll get to finally get rid of the BlackBerries once and for all.

March 06 2008 at 4:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
techn0phile

I don't really think they would be reluctant. But to exaggerate the possibilities, a marginal profit vs. helping eradicate an entire platform would take some second thought.

Compare the slightly different situation of running Windows on a Mac. The Mac is making relatively large gains in market share, much of which is arguably due to people being able to run Windows/Apps on the Mac. In 5 years if that was the turning point of Windows losing 20% of the market to the Mac, I'm sure they would regret it (if it were in fact a decision, which it was not.)

I'm just saying if this is one of the nails in the coffin for a currently struggling platform (Windows Mobile.) I think reluctant is a tame term. It could help kill their core competency of why Active Sync even exists.

March 06 2008 at 4:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bonnie Prince Charlie

Note that this will work with other, non-Exchange servers that are ActiveSync-compatible. There are other cheaper, better, and non-Microsoft options out there!

I hope this doesn't mean that Apple's giving up on its own Mail/iCal/Address Book groupware server.

March 06 2008 at 4:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jfolger

It's 'i' before 'e'.

Except at 'c', as in 'receive'.

Might check that other line about 'as opposed to one a schedule ' too.

Grammar police, out.

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

March 06 2008 at 3:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to jfolger's comment
DewyDecimal

Where do you think this places the chances of getting full exchange features on Mail, iCal and Address book on the Mac?

March 06 2008 at 3:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to DewyDecimal's comment
Jon

It's almost already there really -- if you have Entourage, it has ActiveSync support and then can be set to automatically sync with iCal & Address Book. Don't expect Microsoft to offer that support without Entourage however -- that would make no sense to MS from a business perspective as it would take away the only reason a lot of us still prefer Office over iWork. (Especially now that Word doesn't support VisualBasic, which is absolutely devastating, and I won't ever buy Office 2008 because of that -- just going to keep running 2004 in Rosetta.)

March 06 2008 at 7:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mikael

Does that by any chance mean that ActiveSync will be ported to OS X or is this functionality limited to people with PCs?

If Microsoft ported ActiveSync AND allowed it to sync with Windows Mobile too I know a lot of people who would be very very happy (me included).

March 06 2008 at 3:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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