<p>Google on Friday announced it is shutting down a slew of features and services as part of its latest "winter cleaning." The biggest news was dropping consumer support of Google Sync, meaning the Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) protocol, on January 30, 2013, and instead recommending CalDAV for calendar, CardDAV for contacts, as well as IMAP for email. In essence, this is really all just another attack on Microsoft.</p><p>At first glance it would appear Google wants to avoid paying licensing fees to Microsoft for EAS, but since the company plans to keep Google Sync fully supported for Google Apps for Business, Government, and Education, that's not the real story here. No, Google is really going after Windows Phone users.</p><p>EAS provides push mail as well as the synchronization of contacts and calendars to three big mobile platforms: iOS, Symbian, and Windows Phone. Symbian is essentially dead, so we can skip that.</p><p>Apple and Google both support CalDAV and CardDAV natively, but Microsoft doesn't support either. With EAS dead, Windows Phone users will be left out in the cold. Putting calendar and contacts aside, Windows Phone users can choose to set up IMAP for Gmail, but this won't support push mail. That renders the connection useless.</p><p><a href="http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2012/12/15/googles-sync-changes-are-going-to-screw-gmail-users-on-windows-phone/">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.zdnet.com/gmail-loses-google-sync-how-windows-8-rt-office-are-affected-7000008846/">Gmail loses Google Sync: How Windows 8, RT, Office are affected</a> (ZDNet)</p><p><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/14/3768274/google-gmail-activesync-windows-phone">Google drops a Gmail-shaped bomb on Windows Phone</a> (The Verge)</p><p><a href="http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/google-to-make-gmail-sync-less-often-on-wp-mobiles-50009987/">Google to make Gmail sync less often on WP mobiles | CNET UK</a> (CNET UK)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dQbI57vEmpM4tNMualgn-kpYfhRZM&ned=us">258 additional articles.</a></p>