iPhone Synch for Exchange - slowly but surely.
Answering to one of the only substantial criticisms of the Apple iPhone in enterprise environments - the lack of synchronization to Microsoft Exchange email platforms - IceWeb, out of Herndon, Virginia announced today an iPhone email and synchronization solution for their hosted Exchange customers. It is a relatively clever fix working with both the limitations of the AT&T data network and the Exchange platform. This is a promising step to the end of the “walled garden” approach Apple has taken with 3rd party “push” email services.
And now the downside:
You need to be an IceWeb subscriber. Most people aren’t, but those who use both the iPhone and IceWeb are likely elated by this announcement.
It is only a step in the right direction to obtaining Blackberry-like functionality on the iPhone. Calendar, Address Book and To Do’s are still cradle-synched.
It is not “push” email. Rather, it allows an iPhone user to run a script to “pull” email from their Exchange servers.
According to the company’s press release:
“Apple is expected to release a software update in late Summer or Fall of 2007 that will expand upon the existing/base email and synchronization capabilities. This update is expected to allow full “over the air” wireless synchronization of Calendar, Contacts, and Email pulled from a Microsoft Exchange service such as IceMAIL. Until this update is released, the Apple IPhone utilizes a combination of desktop/cabled synchronization (for Calendar and Contacts) and IMAP wireless email send/receive.”
In other words…it’s a start. And for customers of IceWeb, it may just be enough to limit the number of devices that need to be carried around in addition to the iPhone.
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