Microsoft "pleads with Google to delay contacts and calendar sync cut-off"

The Verge is reporting that Microsoft is planning to release a fix after Google announced it will stop Windows Phone devices syncing with Google contacts and calendars after the end of January. But it's far from certain it will happen in time.

Google is withdrawing support for Exchange Active Sync, the technology used if you sync your Google contacts and calendars on your Windows phone. After January 31, existing users will still be able to sync Google mail, calendars and contacts, but it will only work for mail if you try to connect with a new device.

Sources say Google privately informed Microsoft late last summer that it planned to drop support for Exchange ActiveSync, during a time that Microsoft was finalizing its Windows Phone 8 software with operator trials for devices due in October. Windows Phone 8 does not include support the CalDAV or CardDAV protocols and an engineering change would have delayed the release of devices for the holiday season. We understand that Google didn't provide a timeframe for its plans to kill the Sync service which utilizes Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync protocol.

Google publicly announced its plans in mid-December to discontinue support for Exchange ActiveSync with free Gmail accounts on January 30th. The announcement provided Microsoft with around 45 days to implement the necessary CalDAV and CardDAV support to ensure future Windows Phone Gmail users wouldn't experience difficulties syncing calendar and contacts. Google's timing was just ahead of the holidays at a time when Redmond's engineering teams typically start to leave to spend time with their families over the festive period, leaving Microsoft to scramble for a solution.

MICROSOFT BEGS GOOGLE FOR AN EXCHANGE ACTIVESYNC EXTENSION

Curious timing aside, we're told that Microsoft has been attempting to convince Google to extend its cutoff date by six months to allow the company to push an update out for CalDAV and CardDAV support and to ensure mutual Windows Phone users who use Gmail remain unaffected. We understand that Google has been largely unresponsive to Microsoft's requests for information on how the changes will affect users and a possible extension. The situation means Microsoft is unsure exactly how Gmail accounts will operate after the cutoff.

(Source: The Verge)