Confusion reigns over Exchange support on Android handsets
Lack of first party support for Exchange is keeping Google’s Android OS from gaining wide acceptance amongst enterprise users. But some new confusion over this is popping up in Asia.
Ever since Android first appeared on the G1 phone, people have been requesting that Google provide support for Exchange services. Though they have yet to appear natively in the operating system, there have been some third party workarounds that people have used to get the support they want. This is not an option for major corporation IT departments, so people still wait for it to become official so that these phones can enjoy wider adoption in the enterprise field.
Now CNET Asia has a hands-on report with the HTC Magic (the name for the G1 in Asia), and there is a bit of surprise in this version of the phone. One of their photos includes the following caption:
One of the new features on the Magic is support for Microsoft Exchange. We managed to get it to sync with our Outlook emails, contacts and calendar entries with nary a hassle.
As CNET was just as confused as anyone over this oddity, the US branch of the company reached out to Google for a comment, and were told “Android does not currently include support for Microsoft Exchange.” Google went on to inform them that Exchange support is still being handled by parties other than it, and it was left at that.
So, how did the Exchange support show up in CNET Asia’s version of the HTC Magic then? Did someone sneak in a third party solution? That seems unlikely. Or, did the reporters somehow get their hands on a prototype copy of the OS, either on purpose or by mistake?
Someone has some explaining to do no matter which way you look at it, but it doesn’t seem like anyone wants to speak up at this time. When more HTC Magic handsets make it out to consumers we should know the truth, but for now it will remain a mystery.
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