iPhone Enterprise - Now With More Microsoft

Apple has been listening to your requests for Push Email, Push calendar, Global Address Lists, IPsec VPN, WPA2/802.1x, certificates and identities, and remote wipe. Well, they are all coming true.

They are going to get MS Exchange and are even going to use the ActiveSync protocol to do it. Although instead of going to the NOC, then to the message server, then to the phone, Apple is going to have ActiveSync working directly with the Exchange Server.

Exchange support for mail, contacts, and calendar functions are all going to be built directly into the iPhone, but not with new apps, into the current software so everything is all in one place still, your personal email will be right next to your business email. MS Exchange will be a new option in the Setup Mail list and you'll be able to toggle contacts, calendar, and email on and off.

Synchronization should be near-instant and simple since everything is setup to integrate nicely, as you've come to expect from Apple. So basically its all the same apps everyone has grown to love, but with the addition of the data from Exchange. Now the iPhone is essentially a plug and play enterprise solution as well as a great personal communicator.

Lastly Apple showed off the Remote Wipe feature which, for the sake of Enterprise Security, allows you to wipe your iPhone remotely if it gets stolen, there is no user interaction required and there is no way to stop it. You'll also get enterprise news with the update.