Email Authenticated POP (APOP)

Question

Level 2

215 points

Email Authenticated POP (APOP)

Does anyone know if the iPhone (or a new model iPhone) has, or will have, the ability to check email using Authenticated POP (APOP)? This is not an option on my iPod Touch which I, frankly, don't understand. Earthlink, which is a rather large ISP, uses APOP. The only option I see is to use "Password" authentication, which sends the information as plain-text and is, hence, completely without security. I have noticed the Android, Palm, and Blackberry all have the ability to connect to email using APOP - am I missing something in considering an iPhone?

PowerMac G5 Quad 2.5GHz, MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Mar 27, 2011 12:22 PM

Answer 1

Mar 27, 2011 12:31 PM in response to Rider

The iPhone's Mail app supports SSL with the incoming and outgoing mail server if provided/supported by the email account provider. If Earthlink does not support SSL with their incoming and outgoing mail servers, have you asked Earthlink why not?

Answer 2

Rider Author

Level 2

215 points

Mar 27, 2011 12:40 PM in response to Allan Sampson

Earthlink doesn't use SSL, they use APOP. SSL is much more secure than APOP, for sure (and I agree that Earthlink should use SSL) but that is not the issue. Thanks for posting.

Answer 3

Mar 27, 2011 12:52 PM in response to Rider

The iPhone's Mail app does not support APOP. The iPhone's Mail app supports SSL which is more secure and much more widely used. To say that checking an email account without APOP or SSL is done completely without security is not accurate. Checking when connected to a carrier's cell phone network is done securely, but not when connected to a public wi-fi network that is open to any and everyone within range.