iPhone Might Get Support for Exchange Push Email

One of the reasons cited by many for not being interested in the Apple iPhone is that it lacks support for Microsoft's push email system. According to an unconfirmed report, this will soon change.

Microsoft Exchange has the ability to immediately deliver emails to supported devices as soon as they arrive on the server. This service, generally called push email, is available to users of a wide variety of devices, including ones running Windows Mobile, Palm OS, and Symbian/S60.

According to ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, the iPhone will be joining this list. Citing unnamed sources, Foley reports on her blog that Apple will announce this week that it has licensed the Exchange ActiveSync protocol, which will bring Microsoft's push email and remote synchronization systems to the iPhone.

If this information is correct, this will be a significant step toward making the combination iPod and smartphone more usable for professionals. This is supposedly a goal for AT&T, who would reportedly like to be able to sell large numbers of iPhones through its business-to-business channels.

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