Report: Microsoft scrambling to maintain Gmail support on Windows Phone

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) will update its Windows Phone 8 mobile operating system to support Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) CardDAV and CalDAV calendar and contact syncing protocols, enabling mobile users to continue accessing the full range of Gmail messaging services on their Microsoft-powered smartphones, The Verge reports.

Late last year, Google publicly announced plans to halt consumer support for Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync protocol on Jan. 30, effectively giving Microsoft roughly 45 days to implement CalDAV and CardDAV support. Sources told The Verge that Google privately informed Microsoft of its decision to dump Exchange ActiveSync support last summer during the period when Microsoft was finalizing Windows Phone 8, adding that Google did not specify a timetable. Because making the engineering changes necessary to support CardDAV and CalDAV would have delayed the release of Windows Phone 8 until after the lucrative holiday shopping season, Microsoft decided to roll out the OS without CardDAV and CalDAV integration.

While Microsoft knew of Google's plans, The Verge states Google's Jan. 30 cutoff caught Microsoft by surprise, forcing Microsoft to scramble to implement a fix. Google has rejected Microsoft's requests to extend Exchange ActiveSync support for another six months; if Microsoft is unable to meet the deadline, Windows Phone device owners would be left with only IMAP email support for Gmail, rendering calendar and contact sync options non-functional.

Google and Microsoft have not responded to requests for comment.

Google's decision to drop Exchange ActiveSync support is the latest sign of a growing rift with Microsoft. Earlier this year, a Microsoft legal representative alleged Google is deliberately stifling Microsoft's efforts to build a full-featured YouTube video application optimized for Windows Phone by refusing to license the necessary coding information. Google also implemented a redirect preventing Windows Phone owners from accessing the Google Maps site via Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, but removed the redirect a week later.

For more:
- read this Verge article

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