Google Licenses Microsoft ActiveSync for Windows Mobile and iPhone Support
At 7:35AM, Google announced that it would release a product called Google Sync for iPhones and Windows Mobile devices. This technology has been made possible because of a licensing agreement with Microsoft that gives Google the right to usage Exchange ActiveSync protocol for data synchronization! This is great news for the both Google and Microsoft because Google acknowledges that enterprises have different needs from consumers and validates Microsoft position as leader in core enterprise technology.
Building a robust, secure, and resilient sync technology is not easy. Microsoft has over a decade of experience in the area based around products like Exchange, .NET, and more recently, Live Mesh & Azure Services. Microsoft understands that sync is an important foundation for many businesses and technologies and as such has committed itself to license the technology to those who are interested in integrating it with unique solutions. This commitment also sits under Microsoft’s Interoperability Principles
As a Gmail user and Microsoft Exchange user, I’ll be interested to see how much of Exchange ActiveSync Protocol (EAP) they’ve managed to implement. There is still a clear and obvious advantage with using Exchange especially around manageability, security (DRM), and resilience, but anything to get general individuals to adopting a synchronized communications method has positive effects on the productivity of society as a whole. Kudos to Google and Microsoft for doing the right thing and working together on this!
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