Google kills off support for Exchange ActiveSync

[Master Devwi]

In a move that will most likely hurt consumers, Google has announced that it plans to disable support for Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) on January 30, 2013. While this change won’t affect people already using EAS on their devices, it will become impossible to set up accounts on new devices without a paid Google Apps for Business, Government, and Education account.

EAS, of course, is the industry-standard protocol for syncing email, contacts, calendar, and often tasks between services like Microsoft Exchange, Outlook.com, Gmail, and much more. Almost every major email service supports it – even if the actual backend systems aren’t running Exchange – since it allows for easy setup on millions of devices, from Windows and Windows Phone to Android and iOS.

Of course, Google also supports IMAP, CalDAV, and CardDAV, so most tablets and smartphone will still be able to access Gmail, but it’s not nearly as ubiquitous as EAS.

How do you feel about Gmail dropping EAS support? Do you currently use EAS on your devices?

[Google]

[CrowdAds]

[musichound]

I feel this is a stupid move by Google and it closes the door to the corporate sector. I don't understand this at all. Why not keep their options open?

[kp-j3]

Originally Posted by musichound

I feel this is a stupid move by Google and it closes the door to the corporate sector. I don't understand this at all. Why not keep their options open?

Originally Posted by Master Devwi

It will become impossible to set up accounts on new devices without a paid Google Apps for Business, Government, and Education account.

You can get it, you just have to pay for it.

[The DarkSide]

See, Google is screwing people over now.

[nathan]

Originally Posted by kp-j3

You can get it, you just have to pay for it.

That's not accurate, gmail will still support other formants that iOS and Android devices support and actually use instead of Microsoft's exchange. Most end users won't notice any difference. They're probably doing this to stop paying big M cooperate tax (using their services or standards). You might have a problem if you have a Window phone though.

[kp-j3]

it = Exchange ActiveSync

[saratoga]

I guess outside of a handful of WP users, probably not many people used it anyway.

[nathan]

Originally Posted by saratoga

I guess outside of a handful of WP users, probably not many people used it anyway.

If Microsoft does a quick update to support IMAP, CalDAV, and CardDAV WP users with gmail will not notice a deference really either. The question is though will Microsoft do that or leave their customers in the dark.