Active sync and the iPhone When the iPhone first came out it was only able to access email via IMAP [1]. Domain passwords were flying across the internet unencrypted. This made a good number of admins ticked off [2] by the popularity of a device that offered an entry level, one way email system. Punching a hole in a perfectly secure email system would frustrate even non-security conscience administrators. Once Apple proved they could sell the device Old Jobs paid Microsoft a royalty on every iPhone sold because the 2.0 update was available to everyone. That means most Palms and all iPhones and Windows devices support the same platform. The iPhone finally became an enterprise level device that followed the standard security and a full synchronization relationship.   

 

How Blackberry Enterprise Server and Good Mobile Messaging works:

How Active sync works:

1. Email sent from the internet
2. The Email is captured by your organization’s email server
3. The Email is recognized then captured by GMM or BES server
4. It then travels to RIMM or Motorola
5. Email routed to phone via cellular data network

1. Email sent from the internet
2. The Email is captured by your organization’s Exchange server
3. Active sync notices new email via constant connection and updates data

  [1] Synchronizing Apple iPhone email with Microsoft Exchange Server. (2008, June 25). From http://searchexchange.techtarget.com/expert/KnowledgebaseAnswer/0,,sid43_gci1318834,00.html
 [2] Gartner to IT: Avoid Apple's iPhone. (2007, June 19). From http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/061907-apple-iphone-gartner.html