YES, Microsoft Exchange is absolutely necessary in this phone to make it anything more than an over-priced, over-hyped toy. Now, it’s the sexiest toy ever invented in the gadget world, but the technology behind it takes us back about 6 years. It is quite shocking that it would be released without most the technology that Windows Mobile Phones have had for years! Good Lord, this toy doesn’t even have copy and paste!!!! No speed dial, voice dialing, GPS… the list goes on, and on, and on. Besides lack of Exchange support the other obvious lack of technology in this insultingly overpriced toy is NO HSDPA (couldn’t they have at least gone with Sprint’s outrageously fast and inexpensive data network with EV-DO?). Bravo for Apple putting in Multi-touch technology like Microsoft will soon be giving us on laptops and desktops! Bravo for Apple putting style into devices! I only hope that somebody at Windows Mobile will “get it” and make their highly capable phones a bit more “finger-centric” like the iPhone, and cooler in design. With millions of people standing in line to get this toy on Friday, maybe Microsoft will wake up and realize that people are willing to pay big time for fun and style. Until then, the Sprint Mogul and the HTC Advantage are both amazing phones that do so much more than the iPhone.

The lack of Exchange Server support is the iPhone deal breaker for me. If only it had that I’d go for it in a blink of an eye!

So until it’s confirmed I’m staying with my Windows Mobile devices.

Kev: c’mon, did you really need to carry your personal device and your work device at the same time? Couldn’t you have left the personal one at home or in your bag? You know you just wanted the extra gadget.

James: iTunes already syncs Outlook contacts and appointments with the iPod. Should be the same with the phone even if they add Exchange support.

This is great. Just when our guys were finished pissing and moaning about the potential for supporting Windows Mobile devices, this comes along. HAHAHA… this just got interesting.

My shop is going to go nuts. There’s going to be a ton of corporate IT guys groaning if Apple licenses ActiveSync. They can absolutely refuse to support POP3 and IMAP. A lot of them do already. But not support ActiveSync? I have completely and totally dismissed the iPhone in the corporate space. Until now.

I wonder how Apple will sync the iPhone contacts and calendar with Outlook? That would require a major change in iTunes.

Sumocat: for the reasons I mentioned in the post. :) My IT areas only allowed a few select handhelds in the enterprise, so I often had two devices.

Aren’t common standards great?

“Why carry two devices if you don’t have to?”

I don’t know. Why did you carry two devices when you didn’t need to? :)

The iPhone does sync with Exchange, just not wirelessly. You have to sync it with your computer like the days before direct push.

Also, a few OSX apps already sync directly with exchange like the address book and Mail if imap is enabled.

Sure direct push is a very nice feature, but in reality it isn’t much more than a webdav connection that stays open.

It’s a start, but the on screen keyboard had better be the tits or else it’s still not usable for me in an enterprise environment. I’ll stick with my Treo 700w until something useable comes along (and my contract with Verizon is up).

Yes Exchanges is a must. A smartphone isn’t a smartphone w/o that ability. Why would you buy one, just buy from the fast disappearing PDA market.

Even with Exchange access I see no reason to buy an iPhone, I was recently able to shed my iPod, in favor of a less locked down option (Toshiba Gigabeat). I wouldn’t consider switching to an mp3 player that wouldn’t hold all of my collection. I want it all, all the time. Instant Gratification Generation

True, this device is not intended for an enterprise environment, but one thing I hated when working in a corporate IT setting was having a device for personal use as well as a very comparable device for enterprise use. Why carry two devices if you don’t have to?

I so do not understand why anyone is even considering this for an enterprise environment. It’s an iPod. It has a dedicated YouTube viewer. Exchange support would be great for guys like you, but that doesn’t make it an enterprise device.

@inanternet: undoubtedly, software updates will be available through iTunes, same as for the iPod, so it is possible for Exchange support to be added later.

hmm I do not think that there will be an exchange I mean the OS – and its almsot time for release date too – there might be additional software?