Google compatibility with iCloud

lotust

Diamond Member
Aug 19, 2000
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Is there any apps or ways I can sync my wife's iPhone with an android running ICS , I know where is google calendar ect.. But I'm not sure how to go about setting it up. I'm planning on getting the new galaxy S 4 water resistant model to replace my iPhone 4S but I'm going to really miss syncing my calendar with the wife's phone. It makes life easier for us.
 

TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
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You set up your gmail account as an exchange account. Then you log into that exchange account from your phone, and tell it what to sync.
 

Mushkins

Golden Member
Feb 11, 2013
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You set up your gmail account as an exchange account. Then you log into that exchange account from your phone, and tell it what to sync.

From what I can tell, this doesn't work anymore.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/14/...-sync-exchange-support-for-gmail-calendar-and

Makes sense too, Google would be losing crazy money if they were giving away hosted exchange for free. That being said, why cant your wife just add the Gmail account to the iOS Mail app? It syncs perfectly fine between my iPhone and my Gmail account, the Android device would then just set it up using any old mail app. Both devices should be syncing with the mail server regardless of make/model, devices never sync directly with each other.
 
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manly

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
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From what I can tell, this doesn't work anymore.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/14/...-sync-exchange-support-for-gmail-calendar-and

Makes sense too, Google would be losing crazy money if they were giving away hosted exchange for free. That being said, why cant your wife just add the Gmail account to the iOS Mail app? It syncs perfectly fine between my iPhone and my Gmail account, the Android device would then just set it up using any old mail app. Both devices should be syncing with the mail server regardless of make/model, devices never sync directly with each other.
I don't think Google was doing hosted Exchange, but rather using ActiveSync as a data pathway for iOS clients. You can use Gmail with iOS Mail, but I think you're limited to IMAP and not true "push" email. Better yet, download the Gmail app which more closely aligns with Gmail features. I think GCal supports CalDAV so that should work fine with iOS Calendar as well.

Google Sync for iOS does still work for grandfathered accounts, just not new setups. :(
 

Mushkins

Golden Member
Feb 11, 2013
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I don't think Google was doing hosted Exchange, but rather using ActiveSync as a data pathway for iOS clients. You can use Gmail with iOS Mail, but I think you're limited to IMAP and not true "push" email. Better yet, download the Gmail app which more closely aligns with Gmail features. I think GCal supports CalDAV so that should work fine with iOS Calendar as well.

Google Sync for iOS does still work for grandfathered accounts, just not new setups. :(

They weren't giving full exchange features, but there's really no way I know of to enable ActiveSync without it being an exchange email account on an exchange server.

As for push with Gmail on the iOS mail app, Gmail is one of the selectable "account types" when you add your account. I don't know if it uses POP3 or IMAP or what, but push notifications and sync work exactly the same as my ActiveSync accounts.
 

manly

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
13,174
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They weren't giving full exchange features, but there's really no way I know of to enable ActiveSync without it being an exchange email account on an exchange server.

As for push with Gmail on the iOS mail app, Gmail is one of the selectable "account types" when you add your account. I don't know if it uses POP3 or IMAP or what, but push notifications and sync work exactly the same as my ActiveSync accounts.
I'm pretty sure Google pays MS a license fee (or perhaps a patent swap), and implements ActiveSync on its own.

Well IMAP means the client is polling the server, so push notifications would depend on the polling frequency. At any rate, I still think the official Gmail app is the way to go unless you need iOS Mail to fetch from multiple accounts into one Inbox.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
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I use SmoothSync to sync my Android devices with iCloud Calendar and iCloud Contacts. No need to use Google Calendar, etc.

SmoothSync for Cloud Calendar
SmoothSync for Cloud Contacts

They work very well, but they're both paid apps. However, to pay for them, I just used the free Google Play credits I got from when I bought the Nexus 7.
 
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