Exchange / activesync in microG for LOS 18.1+ ?

[michaelschefczyk]

Dear All,

As far as I understand, there are two types of LineageOS users: a) Those who want updates and install Open GApps → not relevant for microG b) Those who want privacy → relevant for microG

Many in the category b) should hopefully be using groupware like Kopano or SoGo relying on activesync (Z-Push) to sync e-mail, calendar and contacts in one go.

Unfortunately, LOS developers did remove the AOSP e-mail app and the exchange (= activesync) account from LOS 18.1.

That leaves relevant users in a problematic situation. I will be possible to build LOS 17.1 including all the usual features. This should be possible for some time, but not everyone may be willing or able to build. As soon as one is forced to go to 18.1, those who need activesync will have to install Open GAPPS Micro.

Should exchange / activesync (and possibly the ASOP mail app) be included in microG to save those users?

Regards,

Michael Schefczyk

[ghost]

This is probably out of scope, because it's the mail apps themselves that handle exchange/activesync, it's not something that would just be added into GmsCore. If you need the AOSP mail app, you can always install it separately. It doesn't need to come from microG.

You might be able to find another email app that supports EAS, if the AOSP mail app wasn't sufficient. I know FairEmail doesn't support it and K9 refuses to ever support it, so I'm not sure what other options there might be on the FOSS-side of things. I hear /e/ mail app supports it but you would probably need to be using /e/OS to use it.

[michaelschefczyk]

Dear Ammako,

Thank you very much for responding. As far as I remember, in LOS 15 the case was that the system did include the AOSP email app but not the activesync capability initially. That was added a few months after releasing the system. That is why I was uncertain about the connection of the mail app and the activesync capability.

As far as I know, there are no open source e-mail apps available which support activesync.

What I did try was to download com.android.email as an apk. I did find a version "10" on apkmirror. When installing that on LOS 18.1, the mail app keeps crashing. After installing, accounts does show only "Exchange" (twice, nothing else) and clicking that does lead to a crash too, even after deleting com.android.email version 10.

Is there a way to get the correct version of com.android.email as an apk or flashable zip fitting with LOS 18.1 which does include activesync?

Regards,

Michael

[ghost]

I'm not sure. On LOS 14.1 I have Exchange available with just the default mail app, it's a pretty old and outdated version of the app though so it might not work with newer EAS protocols.

[ghost]

Proprietary protocols like the old EWS (Exchange Web Services) and ActiveSync protocols are not supported. EWS is being phased out by Microsoft and ActiveSync is patented and can't be used by third part apps without an (expensive) license agreement with Microsoft.

https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/app-5-0-fairemail-fully-featured-open-source-privacy-oriented-email-app.3824168/page-690#post-82208211

Might not be that simple, unfortunately 😕

[michaelschefczyk]

It does work up to 17.1 and it does vanish in 18.1 as the LOS developers are (understandably) frustrated with the app not being maintaned (by google) anymore. As far as I can tell, there is no issue with the app and its performance with both recent Microsoft Exchange as well as open source alternatives (such Kopano and SoGo). The only question is how to get it in 18.1 in a stable manner. The most recent .apk file on apkmirror does not seem to be compatible.

The patenting issue does not seem to stop open source providers from rebuilding active sync compatible software: https://z-push.org/ What is missing now, is the client side.

[github-tomster]

@michaelschefczyk please provide official sources for this rumour. right in front of me: los18.1 RQ3A.210805.001.A1 built 2021-08-05 com.android.email 11 🎉 eas working 🤷🏻‍♂️

[michaelschefczyk]

The issue is described here (fist paragraph under "LineageOS 18.1 System Apps" plus last paragraph above "Conclusion"): https://www.xda-developers.com/lineageos-18-1-review/

My portfolio of test devices to play around with is limited. Among the builds that do not have an e-mail client and no active sync/exchange accounts are: https://download.lineage.microg.org/flox/lineage-18.1-20210811-microG-flox.zip

[michaelschefczyk]

A possible solution to create unofficial builds was shown by @bananer here:

https://github.com/lineageos4microg/docker-lineage-cicd/issues/204#issuecomment-888853438

[stheid]

I have recently become an /e/ OS user and i think there is currently no way to get an microsoft calendar sync into the internal calendar. Under Linage i was able to use the exchange account for calendar and email globally

[stheid]

Actually it is importaint to add exchange accounts via installation of the Gmail app. This will allow to add the calendar into the system calendar and view it with any calendar app!! This is a very nice and painless workarround!