Google Sync now available for Windows Mobile, iPhone, and SyncML devices

Today Google officially unveiled Google Sync support for the Apple iPhone, Windows Mobile smartphones, and SyncML compatible devices. The service, which is already available to BlackBerry users, will synchronize contacts and calendar appointments from an iPhone or Windows Mobile smartphone with Google Gmail contacts and the Google Calendar system. The new version of Google Sync for SyncML compatible devices, which includes many non-smartphones as well most Symbian and S60 based smartphones, is limited to contact synchronization only.

An additional benefit that Google Sync offers is the ability to create and edit contacts and appointments on a personal computer instead of relying on small mobile device text input methods, though any changes made directly from the phone will be automatically reflected on Google Gmail and Calendar.

Unfortunately email synchronization is not covered by the current implementation of Google Sync, so users will still need to use a separate Gmail client or the Gmail website in order to access their email.

The support for Windows Mobile devices is made possible through a licensing agreement Google has made with Microsoft that gives it access to the Exchange Activesync protocol used by all Windows Mobile 5.0 and later smartphones. Users of Google Sync can enjoy its automatic over the air synchronization service free of cost, though an unlimited carrier data plan or local access to WiFi is recommended in order to avoid unexpected data charges.

More information is available from the Google Mobile blog.