Windows Phone Thoughts: Nokia Licenses ActiveSync Allowing Devices To Communicate With Exchange

"In a move that could make organizing a mobile worker's life easier, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) announced Tuesday it is enabling Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync on all of its S60 3rd edition handsets. The company did have a downloadable option for ActiveSync since 2006, but it was only available for limited handsets and the company told InformationWeek it didn't do a good job publicizing that option. The S60 series phones are all powered by the Symbian operating system, which is optimized the OS for convergence with current multimedia applications as well as making enhancements to its security. "

That makes 4 mobile platforms that now have some form of ActiveSync built in that allow server syncing with Exchange - Windows Mobile, PalmOS, iPhone 2.0 and Nokia's Symbian S60 series. Nokia has said the option will be coming to the E and N series devices as well.

While this strengthens the Windows Server/Exchange platform, I cannot help but think this weakens the Windows Mobile position. It has bee one of the strengths of the platform distinguishing it from others as an enterprise solution. Now, it is more and more just one of the choices a business professional has.