Apple's Favoritism to Fastmail(xcancel.com) |
Apple's Favoritism to Fastmail(xcancel.com) |
Fastmail have had sanctioned access from Apple (via their own APNS topic ID) - https://www.fastmail.com/blog/push-email-now-available-in-io...
[1] https://github.com/jmapio/jmap/commit/1335683f8b542c71bc41a4...
I can not find any reference to Apple having any involvement with or interest in JMAP (as much as I’d wish so).
I love every answer my comment received!
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IMAP servers through APNS ping the iOS Mail about updates in certain pre-registered inboxes. Then iOS Mail re-fetches those inboxes.
The change signal is pushed; the data (inboxes/emails) aren’t.
What actually happened here?
It’s more focused on how to get notifications to work with an email server that does not support XAPPLEPUSHSERVICE, but I also delve into how Apple abandoned the only reference implementation of XAPPLEPUSHSERVICE.
FastMail got access to it and it is not clear how, without any public announcement or documentation.
It is as if Apple just picked a favorite and went with it.
It only supports a proprietary IMAP extension that uses Apple Push Notification Services (APNS) as a sideband channel for IMAP servers to signal the iOS Mail app.
Last I researched this (like… years ago), most IMAP-based email providers that are listed by the iOS Settings have implemented the extension, except for Gmail and Exchange. Fastmail then got on the train since 2015.
Not sure what is with the tweet targeting Fastmail specifically though.
There’s some discussion on the Apple developer forums - https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/778671. The solution for the OP there seems to have been they also will get special treatment, but there remains no route for others to use to get the same.
I just checked my emails, I use Amazon Workmail and even that has push support. The only one for me that doesn't is my lesser used gmail.
To my knowledge I get alerts quickly with that email, I have never had an issue of not.
Fastmail clearly reached out to Apple eons ago, which is evidence of skill on fastmail's part and not favortism on Apple's part. Admittedly, fastmail very likely has lots of contacts in Apple (Jeremy Howard isn't nobody), but that's also a skill issue.
You cannot send Push notifications to the stock iOS Mail app no matter how hard you try. They can. There are functions inside of iOS that are made better because of this (auto copied 2FA codes, for example).
It’s also very interesting that Apple reached out to the user in the developer forum thread after they raised it as an EU DMA issue.
MXroute doesn't go around threatening US companies with EU law from Texas. As for your requirement for evidence, this situation does not require your approval unless you work for Apple and can offer some help in the matter. The tweet you are critiquing is me (owner of MXroute) attempting to gain Apple's attention to get what Fastmail and that EU user have obtained. I'll continue doing what I'm doing, if that's alright with you. I'm well aware of the situation and what others have done. What I need at this point is eyes on the prize. I'll get what I'm after, but a public statement that I currently cannot get what I'm after is entirely appropriate for the avenue I've chosen to do so.
It's a mistake to assume that I'm merely flailing my arms chaotically and generically playing the role of Karen.
It sucks that Apple won't just embrace interop with host mail services in some formal way, I'm not sure what the benefit of this specific flavor of gatekeeping achieves. It also sucks that HN contrarians are reflexively dumping on this, instead of supporting entrepreneurs like one might hope in such a community. Anyway, keep up the great work, I'm with you long term.
I'll just take your word for it that there's no ways for Texans to get the same treatment as these other companies. Oh well. Take it up with your legislature, I guess.