iPhone hooks up with Microsoft Exchange

There are plenty of reasons not to introduce Apple's iPhone into a business environment but the device's lack of support for Microsoft's Exchange just might top the list. For weeks before the release of the gadget, enterprise speculation centered on whether the phone would ship with Exchange support. As it turns out, the iPhone does not support Exchange out of the box, though many speculate that a future OS upgrade could fix that. Too impatient to wait? U.K.-based mobile synchronization and device management developer Synchronica has your back. The company's upcoming Mobile Gateway 3.0 suite supports over-the-air synchronization between Microsoft Exchange and the iPhone, eliminating the need for firewall tinkering or additional server-side software. "The iPhone is a very attractive smartphone, appealing to both the consumer and prosumer market. However, IT Managers are not going to permit their executives to synchronize a device that requires them to punch holes in the corporate firewall," Carsten Brinkschulte, Synchronica's CEO said. "From a carrier's perspective, we are significantly expanding the reach of the iPhone into the business user and prosumer segments."

For more on Mobile Gateway 3.0:
- see this eWeek article

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