Last month Google dropped a bombshell on Windows Phone users when they announced Exchange ActiveSync would no longer be supported after January. Instead they will be fully adopting CalDAV and CardDAV, which is not built into Windows Phone. Microsoft claimed to be surprised by the move. Sources familiar with the situation have reported to The Verge that Microsoft is indeed working on supporting DAV in Windows Phone. They also report that Microsoft knew about it all along.
Sources tell The Verge that Google informed Microsoft of the decision last summer while Windows Phone 8 was being finished. They did not give a time frame for when support would be dropped. Microsoft, not wanting to be put behind schedule, did not implement DAV support in WP8. In December Google announced when the drop would happen, leaving Microsoft with only 45 days to do something about it.
Microsoft is now working on supporting DAV, but also begging Google for a six month extension before fully dropping ActiveSync support. As of right now there is no sign that Google will extend the cutoff date. After January 30th new Windows Phone users will not be able to use ActiveSync. Current users will not be affected. Let’s hope Microsoft beats the race against the clock for DAV support on Windows Phone.
