Google extends sunset date for Google Sync to 31st July 2013

If you're planning to get a new Windows Phone device, this might come as a sigh of relief, especially if you're hooked on to the Google ecosystem. Microsoft has announced that Google has decided to extend the deadline for supporting Google Sync till 31st July 2013. Google Sync allows users to access Google Mail, Calendar and Contacts via the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync protocol, to synchronize email, contacts, and calendar on their phones. Google had earlier announced that it would cease support for its Google Sync service for new users starting 30th January 2013, while it would continue to support existing sync connections.

This means that users who wish to set-up a new Google account to sync their contacts, calendar, and e-mails on their Windows Phone devices would be able to do so via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync till the end of July. It's noteworthy that Google had said that it would instead offer sync services through the more open IMAP, CalDAV and CardDAV protocols for users of its free services. However, users of Google Apps for Business, Government and Education were not affected and would be able to use Google Sync even after the sunset date. Since Google pays licensing fee to Microsoft for Exchange ActiveSync, it makes more sense for the company to extend it only to users of its paid services.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has also announced that the Windows Phone team is building support into its software for the new sync protocols that Google is using for calendar and contacts-CalDAV and CardDAV, while it already supports IMAP. Most likely, support for the protocols will be extended to users before the sunset date. Apple already supports CalDAV, CardDAV and IMAP but its users would also not be able to use Exchange for sync