Apple announces iPhone support for Exchange Server ActiveSync

The widely expected and discussed release of the SDK for the iPhone platform came with one nugget of information that corporate users have been waiting for since the device was initially announced - native compatibility with Microsoft's Exchange platform. Version 2.0 of the iPhone software will have native support of the ActiveSync client for Exchange 2003 and 2007. The new platform will include all the remote management features that ActiveSync enables, including remote wipe of devices (or "swiping clean the devices if they are lost or stolen" according to the CNN/Money article). The new software will also include a Cisco IPSec VPN client, a FaceBook application and a SalesForce.com interface customized for the device. Anyone else who want to write an app for the device is welcome to use the SDK and sell their apps through "The App Store." Apple will only be keeping 30% of the revenue from the sales for handling the transaction, which is borderline extortion if they don't allow direct sales as well, but I'm not completely sure that they aren't, so I'll withhold some judgement there.

Now that this has been announced I can finally stop on my repetitive rant about how the device is no good for corporate users and no threat to RIM - it most definitely is now. I'm still a little surprised that they ended up licensing the technology from Microsoft, but I think that was really the only way to make it work reliably. Plus, I haven't heard anything on the terms of that licensing agreement, so who knows.

Update (3.6.08 9:40p EST) - The updated software won't be available until late June (which probably means July), but it is coming.