What is required for ActiveSync?

Question

I like how Gmail uses ActiveSync to sync my iOS contacts with Gmail.

I DO NOT like how Plaxo uses an app to sync my iOS contacts with Plaxo.

Why doesn't Plaxo use ActiveSync?

I also operate a web-based contacts app and would like to know how I can get our webbased data synced with the iOS Contacts app via activesync. what is required for a service to do what Google did? Buy an exchange license? activesync license? other? what are all the layers involved? How much $ are we talking about? Microsoft websites do not make this clear.

Many thanks.

Answer 1

I don't think I can give you a complete answer, but here's part of it. Companies license ActiveSync directly from Microsoft. It's not a license you can buy off the shelf or included with some product like Exchange. I don't know the price but it's not widely available, so my guess is that Microsoft decides who they're going to license it to, and they work out some deal.

ActiveSync is an Exchange technology, so the only syncronizing that would take place is between iOS contacts/calendar/mail and Exchange Server. In this case, the company that licensed ActiveSync is Apple. Once the contact is in iOS, then perhaps Google has figured out some way to bring it to their servers, but it's not through ActiveSync.

Answer 2

See http://www.microsoft.com/about/legal/en/us/IntellectualProperty/IPLicensing/Programs/ExchangeActiveSyncProtocol.aspx for information on licensing ActiveSync from Microsoft. Notice that Google and Apple both have ActiveSync licenses. Plaxo does not.

That page provides information about where to contact if you want to get a license, but as usual no pricing is shown: I expect pricing information is restricted by the license terms, but if its not would love to hear how much it costs.