The Boston Diaries

Thursday, September 22, 2022

So when did POP and IMAP become a “legacy protocol?”

I just received the following email at work:

From Enterprise Services <XXXXX­XXXXX­XX> To Conner, Sean <XXXXX­XXXXX­XXXXX­X> Date Thu, 22 Sep 2022 19:27:12 +0000 Subject Legacy Email Protocols to be Retired

To All [The Enterprise] Staff,

Please be aware that Microsoft is disabling the use of several legacy protocols related to old methods of retrieving and sending email in the coming weeks.

What does this mean for you?

If you are using Outlook as [The Enterprise] provisions it, you do not need to do anything. If you use an alternate email program that relies on POP3, IMAP or SMTP, like native mail programs in iOS and Android, expect your [The Enterprise] email connection for that app to stop functioning when Microsoft chooses to disable these protocols.

What should you do?

[The Enterprise] only supports the use of the approved email client Outlook, Outlook 365 available in our [The Enterprise] tenant, or Outlook for iOS and Android. If you are not using Outlook, please switch today. If you require assistance, please contact XXXXX­XXXXX­XX.

Instructions for installing Outlook for mobile devices can be found here [Link to internal documentation removed. —Editor].

Thank You,

Enterprise Services

On one level, this doesn't bother me. I'm using the web version of Lookout (I assume that's the Lookout 365 for The Enterprise tenant they mention, at least, I hope so). I also don't check work email on my phone—never have, and I don't have plans on starting that any time soon either.

But on another level, this is concerning. Even though Microsoft announced this three years ago, it comes across as locking email down into a more centalized, proprietary system. I do have to wonder how long until Google decides that only certain clients can connect with Gmail? You know, for “enhanced security” or a “better experience.” I don't use Gmail, but I do have concerns about my ability to run my own email server and general interoperability with the large email providers like Google and Microsoft.