Symbian Limited has licensed the Microsoft Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol for use in Symbian OS, an open standard operating system for smartphones.
Under the terms of the agreement, Symbian will develop an Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol “plug-in” for the Symbian OS messaging architecture to enable Symbian OS licensees to include in their Symbian OS-based phones direct over-the-air (OTA) synchronization capabilities for email, calendar, contacts and other personal information management (PIM) data supported by Microsoft Exchange Server 2003.
Symbian will make the Exchange Server ActiveSync protocol plug-in available to all Symbian OS licensees which, when coupled with a separate standard distribution agreement with Microsoft, enables the licensees, at their discretion, to implement direct synchronization capabilities with Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 in their selected Symbian OS products with reduced time to market, improved interoperability and lower development costs.
Symbian assures that they continue to support a wide range of email and PIM synchronization protocols such as RIM's Blackberry Connect as well as the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) Data Synchronization protocol as implemented in solutions from a wide variety of Symbian Partner vendors. Symbian is committed to ensuring its licensees have the widest choice possible in this evolving space.
