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Hello
I don't know if my mail server is working like i should. I have several devices synced with my mail and when i get a new mail all the devices get the mail at the same time. But if I read the mail on one device, the other devices still display one new mail until I open the mail app. Google mail didn't do this..
Why doesn't the server push that the message has been read?
Thanks and Happy New Year.
OS X Server
I have been looking at this as I have recently setup IMAP mail in OS X Mountain Lion Server
I referenced this Apple document...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3947
which shows that the mechanism for what is loosely classified as 'push' is different for OS X & iOS. OS X Mail uses the IMAP IDLE function (if it has been enabled in Apple Mail) whereas mobile devices (iOS = iPhone & iPad) use Apple Push Notification Service.
IMAP IDLE keeps a communication link between the IMAP server and Mail on OS X, therefore for both notification of new emails and read status the notification is immediate.
For the Apple Push Notification Service I suspect that it only notifies of new emails, it does not update read status until the clien mail application is opened and the client communicates with the IMAP server.
I tested this by having running — Apple Mail on OS X + iPhone + iPad. From another machine on the LAN I sent three emails. All three devices registered each new email arriving (the iPad actually I have to 'wake up' sometimes?!).
On the iPhone then I opened one of the emails — the unread count went down immediately on the Mac, on the iPad no change. Then I opened mail on the iPad, the unread count adjusted. I then opened the second email — the unread count went down immediately on the Mac, on the iPhone no change.
From this I deduce that Apple Push Notification Service does not have the same full functionality as IMAP IDLE and only notifies of new incoming emails.
I suspect your devices were using activesync with gmail.. there is a significant difference in capabilities.
Mail and push with multiple clients?!
