I worked at Microsoft at the time the iPhone was announced (2007) and the reaction internally was this this thing would never take off because it couldn't access Exchange server emails. The logic was -
Smartphones are for enterprise users.
Enterprise users want Exchange on their phones (see Blackberry).
This doesn't have Exchange but has some nice UI.
Windows Mobile 6.X has Exchange.
We will improve 6.X UI in the next iteration and it will all work out.
iPhones, of course, got ActiveSync / Exchange support in ~2009.
Smartphones are for enterprise users.
Enterprise users want Exchange on their phones (see Blackberry).
This doesn't have Exchange but has some nice UI.
Windows Mobile 6.X has Exchange.
We will improve 6.X UI in the next iteration and it will all work out.
iPhones, of course, got ActiveSync / Exchange support in ~2009.