Symbian Limited today announced that it has licensed the Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol for use in Symbian OS�, the leading open standard operating system for advanced mobile phones.
Under the terms of the agreement, Symbian will develop an Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol � plug-in � for the Symbian OS messaging architecture to enable Symbian OS licensees � the world’s leading mobile phone manufacturers � to include in their Symbian OS-based phones direct over-the-air (OTA) synchronization capabilities for email, calendar, contacts and other personal information management (PIM) data supported by Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 .
Q: Why do you need an agreement, especially when Microsoft’s MAPI has been forever available to develop applications that utilise the Exchange enterprise server?
Take for example the Blackberry Enterprise Server:
Key Features
BlackBerry Enterprise Server enables several key features essential for a complete wireless connectivity platform:
* Corporate Data Access – mobile professionals get always-on/push-based access to enterprise applications, as well as online content and applications.
* Wireless email synchronization – seamless integration with existing enterprise email account.
* Attachment viewing – users can view popular document formats (Excel, Word�, PowerPoint�, Adobe� PDF, WordPerfect�, ASCII, ZIP and image files) on their device.
* Wireless organizer synchronization – PIM information is updated wirelessly between the device and messaging server.
* Remote address lookup – users can search and interact with their Global Address List (GAL).
* Wireless application download – third party applications can be downloaded wirelessly to the device.
* Wireless activation and provisioning – users can activate their device wirelessly.
* Wireless backup – users’ device settings and preferences can be automatically, wirelessly backed up.
* Wireless IT policies – administrators can wirelessly mandate passwords and other controls.
* Data encryption – all incoming and outgoing wireless data and messages are encrypted and decrypted by BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
Q: What is ActiveSync?
A: Follow this link to MSDN