Apple to license Exchange ActiveSync from Microsoft for iPhone?

“Apple’s iPhone is going to be compatible with Microsoft Exchange Server, after all,” Mary Jo Foley, yes, that Mary Jo Foley blogs for ZDNet.

Related article:
Mary Jo Foley: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard looks like Microsoft’s Windows Vista – June 12, 2007

“My sources are saying Apple can and will make the iPhone compatible with Exchange Server,” Foley reports.

“Here’s what I’m hearing: Apple will announce this week — possibly as soon as June 27 — that it has licensed the Exchange ActiveSync licensing protocol. Via the licensing arrangement, Apple iPhone users will be able to connect to Exchange Server and make use of its wireless messaging and synchronization capabilities,” Foley reports.

“Microsoft currently makes the ActiveSync protocol available to interested parties via a pre-established licensing agreement,” Foley reports. “A number of phone vendors, including Nokia, Palm, Motorola and Sony Ericsson, already offer devices that sync with Exchange using ActiveSync.”

More in the full article here.

[UPDATED: 8:28pm EDT: This article was originally posted at 3:45pm EDT, but, er… duh, not made “live” to any section on the site.]

49 Comments

  1. “If this is in fact true, it is huge. No matter what we think of MS, the iPhone just became more of an “enterprise” device with this move.”

    I would have rather sat back and watched legions of MS IT drones scramble around in a snit as their customers (the people they work for) demand they make the iPhone work with their networks.

  2. Don’t be juvenile. Making the iPhone work with Exchange is one of the things that would keep it out of the hands of millions. If this story is true it’s a brilliant move on Apple’s part.

  3. I, of course, have no inside information on this matter, but I’m coming to the conclusion that this IS NOT going to happen. Of course, when it happens – as early as tomorrow – I’ll look pretty stupid, but here is my reasoning.

    Initially is sounds like a huge win for the iPhone to support Microsoft’s Enterprise. I read several comments under the original article that essentially felt it was a game changer and would move several business professionals to buy the iPhone. This would remove another barrier and might boost the iPhone’s initial sales further into the stratosphere.

    But I do not believe Apple want to bolster a proprietary system, especially one that is owned by Microsoft. The iPhone is going to be huge. If the enourmous pre-sale hype hasn’t been enough to convince, you, look at the extremely positive initial reviews. Apple has the leverage to break business free of Enterprise. The alternative – being reliant upon Microsoft to broker their way into the business world – is simply unacceptable.

    It’s an arrogant and risky view. But I believe it accurately reflects Apple’s position.

  4. “iPhone Server feature “

    It’s already there, in all versions of OS X Server that have shipped to date. It’s called an IMAP server. To turn it on, you check the box that says “be a mail server”.

    Blackberry invented their own half-assed reimplementation of e-mail. Apple uses the standards.

    -jcr

  5. “iPhone Server feature “

    It’s already there, in all versions of OS X Server that have shipped to date. It’s called an IMAP server. To turn it on, you check the box that says “be a mail server”.

    Blackberry invented their own half-assed reimplementation of e-mail. Apple uses the standards.

    -jcr

  6. “iPhone Server feature “

    It’s already there, in all versions of OS X Server that have shipped to date. It’s called an IMAP server. To turn it on, you check the box that says “be a mail server”.

    Blackberry invented their own half-assed reimplementation of e-mail. Apple uses the standards.

    -jcr

  7. “iPhone Server feature “

    It’s already there, in all versions of OS X Server that have shipped to date. It’s called an IMAP server. To turn it on, you check the box that says “be a mail server”.

    Blackberry invented their own half-assed reimplementation of e-mail. Apple uses the standards.

    -jcr

  8. Problem is that MaryJo knows nothing about ActiveSync. ActiveSync does not sync with Exchange it allows a device (pda, phone) to sync with OUTLOOK. There is a HUGE difference, especially when you’re talking wireless internet access from your phone (ie. does you no good if you’re not connected to your PC which runs Outlook). Duh.

  9. I want an iPhone and don’t mind the price tag, but I am waiting for 3G. It’s only a matter of time. Mossberg and most of the “intelligent” reviews all say that the EDGE network is painfully slow.

  10. Thanks for playing. YOU appear to be the one who “knows nothing about ActiveSync”. Current Exchange implementations do infact allow for wireless syncing via ActiveSync. Stop being so elitist when you don’t even know what you are talking about.

  11. hey jay edge is more than enough for email
    fair on web browsing
    3g is hugly expensive ..un needed by 99 percent of the puplic
    also we dont have the option not to pay for rhe 3g modem in our phones

    its the biggest scandal of the 21 century.. the companies paid 50 bilion for a marketing flop “the 3g license and equipment”so to get thier mony back they make u pay a huge sum for the 3g modem in the handset which U DONT USE

  12. I’m not sure what value there is in posting anything Mary Jo Foley has to say. Her credibility is completely nullified by the Leopard vs. Vista article, which is utterly laughable due to its utter disregard for anything resembling fact. I find it hard believe that she is able to maintain gainful employment as a journalist given that piece.

  13. An Exchange connector means nothing. Without an ability to centrally control the devices via a server based corporate policy, (i.e. remote data wipe, domain authentication, password complexity policy) it will never make it through the door. No way that any sane corporation is going to let company email & data live unsupervised on unmanaged devices. Oh right, and you need to deploy iTunes to all the company desktops. Pfffffft.

  14. I suspect this is another FUD attempt. Goes something like this… hopes rise, then fall with a crash (when it’s proven to be false). And then Apple and iPhone will be criticized forever (in certain circles) for NOT doing this. FUD success: Further highlighting another hole in the iPhone’s ability.

    It’s not in SJ’s DNA to do something like this MS license, is my guess.

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