I had the same issue with the original iPhone (I now have the 3GS). I can be sitting at my computer and receive an e-mail on my PC, however, when I manually (I have Fetch turned-off) attempt to check for mail, it does not show up on my iPhone. Also, sometimes I may receive three or more e-mails (at one time) on my PC, and maybe one or two (but not all) show up on my iPhone. Is this normal? Lastly, I can send myself an e-mail from my PC or iPhone and receive it on my iPhone within seconds.
So this is what everyone means when they say – “the iPhone isn’t a good phone for work”. I'm having the same exact problem, except that it works (sync) intermittently and from both sides. Sometimes only my Mail Inbox is showing emails not on the iPhone and sometimes only the iPhone is showing emails that are never received into my Mail Inbox.
I’m led to believe that there is no real syncing function between the iPhone and Mail. Moreover, I never thought it would happen, but I just had a horrible customer service experience with the supposed “experts” over the phone support. My problem is I cannot get all of the emails from my iPhone onto my Mail Inbox. It is a strange problem – I have three email addresses; two are with GoDaddy.Com and the other is hosted by gMail. I’ve set them all up as POP accounts on the iPhone and under “Advanced” settings I have the “Never delete from the server” option checked. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as how the problem occurs. There are some emails that do indeed download onto my iPhone and then onto my Mail inbox afterward, but there are a lot that only get onto my iPhone and never make it into my Mail inbox (this happens many times in the same day). Someone even suggested, that “mobile me” was the answer, I’ve loaded it up and couldn’t tell you anything that it does.
I know it has to work, because on all three accounts there are emails that are showing on both components (iPhone and Macbook Mail/Inbox)
I hope someone can relate and has answers, otherwise, it’s true - what the many Crackberry users say, the iPhone simply isn't a good option for working professionals.
Yes - at or near the same time. This is a POP account limitation. With a POP account, only one email client at a time can connect with the incoming mail server to check the incoming mail server for new messages and download new message. If one email client checks the incoming mail server at the same time as another email client, or when one email client is still downloading new messages, the incoming mail server locks preventing another email client from accessing the incoming mail server.
The iPhone is a good phone for work, but not with a POP account that is accessed with more than one email client. Although it is possible to access a POP account with more than one email client, a POP account is designed to be accessed with a single email client only. The account's Inbox mailbox with a POP account is not synchronized with the server. New messages received at the incoming mail server are downloaded by the email client used to access the account with a setting to remove messages from the server when downloaded, and only one email client at a time can communicate with the incoming mail server for the account. Sent messages cannot be stored on the server with a POP account, so messages sent with one email client are not available with another email client used to access the account and vice-versa. Read a message with one email client, and the message will be downloaded as a new and unread message with another email client used to access the account and vice-versa.
The same does not apply with an IMAP account, which is designed to be accessed with more than one email client with all server stored mailboxes for the account kept synchronized with the server automatically with each email client used to access the account.
RIMM provides a dedicated email delivery service for the Blackberry that eliminates shortcomings associated with accessing a POP account with more than one email client. The iPhone's Mail client communicates direct with the incoming mail server for an email account just as with an email client used on your computer for accessing the account.
