iPhone syncs with Exchange Server... kind of

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jul 16th 2007 at 10:02AM

For the few and extremely brave in the business world who bit the hype bullet and sprung for the iPhone only to discover that you were out looking in when it came to Exchange Server action -- some help is on the way. Synchronica, a UK-based company long in the market of getting devices to play nice with Microsoft's business end has devised a solution for the Apple wunder-phone. Using its Mobile Gateway 3.0 software, the phone is able to access email on corporate Exchange servers via Redmond's Outlook Web Access (or OWA), thus delivering emails direct to the iPhone's mail app. Of course, not everyone is going to have the OWA option, as its use is at a company's discretion -- so while this isn't the full-on, seamless integration many were after, it does look like a pretty promising middleware stop-gap until Apple improves its enterprise options.

[Thanks, Alvin]

Filed under: Software, ATT, EDGE, Apple

Tags: apple, exchange server, ExchangeServer, iphone, microsoft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Ed Hardy @ Jul 16th 2007 10:13AM

There's enough evidence that Apple is going to add Exchange ActiveSync support directly to the iPhone that I'd wait a bit before running out and installing Mobile Gateway, or its upcoming competitor from Visto.

Neutral

Sean @ Jul 16th 2007 11:12AM

Also - as a followup - IMAP works just fine for me when syncing with my corporate Exchange server.

Neutral

Mike P @ Jul 16th 2007 3:01PM

IMAP will work with Exchange (if its allowed through your companies firewall) What people are wanting is the "push email" sync that you can get with Windows based phones w/ActiveSync. IMAP will not sync your calendar tasks and contacts that you have in your Outlook mailbox and that's what the hip, cool, suit-on-the-go wants.

Neutral

Ed Hardy @ Jul 16th 2007 3:08PM

Right, and there are many companies that won't open their firewall for IMAP or SMTP service.

Neutral

Adam @ Jul 16th 2007 4:02PM

OWA will not be in Exchange 2007 so this �Gateway� will prevent the upgrade to Exchange 2007 because of some Iphone users.
Most IT departments already have everything setup. Why change the firewall because some people ran out and got Iphones? Most corporate environments don�t allow IMAP and POP3 because of the security issues but then again it�s an Iphone��.there are no security issues now are there?

Neutral

Chris G @ Jul 16th 2007 7:46PM

You are insane if you think Exchange 2007 lacks OWA. It has, however, been significantly changed/overhauled. Regardless I am sick and tired of people calling this product their savior and claiming it "syncs" their iphone. Until a product brings OTA EMail/Calendar/Contacts/Tasks/Etc it isn't sync'ing anything. This product is aimed at companies that want to support iPhone but don't want to open IMAP. I'd imagine the market to be about 1 in 500,000 companies so I'm amazed its been on every single technology news site and blog.

Highly Ranked

OUTER V @ Jul 26th 2007 7:27PM

I have an end-to-end solution for integrating the iPhone with Exchange and/or Domino server if you are interested. I have implemented it at many client sites, including a Fortune 500 company.

vegamis@bellsouth.net