Why did Google exclude/remove Exchange Services apk from 6P?

tr-1

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Jul 25, 2012
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I was able to set up Exchange account for Gmail on Nexus 6 but don't even have this option on 6P. I Googled this issue and someone said that I need Google's Exchange Service apk but it's not pre-installed on 6P (definitely was on 6). I downloaded one from mirror they provided and it seems to work now.

http://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-...-apk-download/

I actually could swear that I added this account to my phone as soon as I got it but now this account is simply missing (like the guy said in the last post)

Anyway, why did Google remove this option? Is there some issue? Is this the only workaround or is there a better/right way to do this?
 
I connected my Exchange account on my 6P with no extra apps needed. It's done through the GMail app now. I have 4 accounts syncing in my GMail app, 2 google-based accounts (one is a GApps account with a personal domain), one POP account and one Exchange account.
 
I connected my Exchange account on my 6P with no extra apps needed. It's done through the GMail app now. I have 4 accounts syncing in my GMail app, 2 google-based accounts (one is a GApps account with a personal domain), one POP account and one Exchange account.

So you are saying you got "Exchange" option from Add Account menu? Do you have Exchange Services apk? For me "Exchange" option showed up only after I manually installed Exchange Services apk.
 
So you are saying you got "Exchange" option from Add Account menu? Do you have Exchange Services apk? For me "Exchange" option showed up only after I manually installed Exchange Services apk.

I don't recall doing anything special, out of the box I seem to recall being able to set up my Exchange account.
 
So you are saying you got "Exchange" option from Add Account menu? Do you have Exchange Services apk? For me "Exchange" option showed up only after I manually installed Exchange Services apk.

you dont need exchange service apk. thats an ols service and wont be supported in future. unintsall it.

open gmail. click your profile picture on the left hamburger--> Manage account-->add account-->Exchange

It will show gmail icon but its exchange service.
 
you dont need exchange service apk. thats an ols service and wont be supported in future. unintsall it.

open gmail. click your profile picture on the left hamburger--> Manage account-->add account-->Exchange

It will show gmail icon but its exchange service.

I had no "Exchange" option until I manually added Exchange Services APK. That's what I'm trying to explain. It's a clean/unrooted 6P, by the way so I have no idea why that's the case
 
i have three options when adding an account in the gmail app

Google
Personal (IMAP/POP)
Exchange

i don't have anything special installed.... it's works "out the box".
 
Thanks,
Could you please tell me if you have Exchange Services apk? Exchange Services 5.0.106634657 APK Download - APKMirror

Also, what's your Marshmallow Build Number and Gmail version?

Thanks! It could be very helpful

I think what everybody is trying to tell you is that you don't need to do anything to connect to an Exchange account. No apk to install...no nothing. I have the 6P and connected to my work Exchange no problem

The only issue is that I didn't like the mail through the gmail app, so I purchased Nine instead...way better, it's worth the price ($10).
 
I think what everybody is trying to tell you is that you don't need to do anything to connect to an Exchange account. No apk to install...no nothing. I have the 6P and connected to my work Exchange no problem

The only issue is that I didn't like the mail through the gmail app, so I purchased Nine instead...way better, it's worth the price ($10).

I honestly don't know how else to explain this. What I'm saying is that I didn't have the Exchange option and only had IMAP and POP3... Neither of them work. Only Exchange option works, which I had to add manually by side loading the Exchange Services APK
 
tr-1 is correct, I believe. To double-check I opened the Gmail app on my Nexus 6 and tried to enter a new email address. There was no Exchange option. The only way to use Exchange is to add it as a IMAP account, but you will not get Push notifications that way because unlike most services, Microsoft does not support Push via IMAP. The only way to get Push with Exchange is to have support for Exchange Active Sync - which is what you get when there IS an Exchange option. With the Nexus 6 or other Nexus devices when using the Gmail app the option is not there. You have to manually add the Exchange Services APK. Or get an email client like Nine that supports Active Sync

Older versions of Android may have the ES.apk included so those get the Exchange option. Some manufactures may still include it out of the box. But not a Nexus. No big deal, it's easy to add if you have to have it.

This is all because a while back Google decided to drop support for Exchange Active Sync. I vaguely remember it having something to do with Windows not including support for MTP and Android devices. Maybe that was first. It was an "If you don't support me, I won't support you!" pissing match between MS and Google. I can't remember who dropped support for the other first now...who cares. Anyway, so you still have to download and install MTP drivers for your shiney new Win 10 Pro installation even though MTP stands for Microsoft Transfer Protocol.

The Google and MS executives, being children, took their toys and went home.
 
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Got it, but unfortunately I don't know what to tell you, it sounds like something is wrong with your phone. I don't know how long you've had the phone but maybe doing a factory reset might set things straight.

Here's what I have when I add an account through the gmail app
Screenshot_20160108-135511.jpg

and here's what I have when I add an account through settings -> accounts -> add account
Screenshot_20160108-135418.jpg

The exchange options were just there, I never needed to install an apk.
 
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tr-1 is correct, I believe. To double-check I opened the Gmail app on my Nexus 6 and tried to enter a new email address. There was no Exchange option. The only way to use Exchange is to add it as a IMAP account, but you will not get Push notifications that way because unlike most services, Microsoft does not support Push via IMAP. The only way to get Push with Exchange is to have support for Exchange Active Sync - which is what you get when there IS an Exchange option. With the Nexus 6 or other Nexus devices when using the Gmail app the option is not there. You have to manually add the Exchange Services APK. Or get an email client like Nine that supports active Sync

Older versions of Android may have the ES.apk included so those get the Exchange option. Some manufactures may still include it out of the box. But not a Nexus. No big deal, it's easy to add if you have to have it.

This is all because a while back Google decided to drop support for Exchange Active Sync. I vaguely remember it having something to do with Windows not including support for MTP and Android devices. Maybe that was first. It was an "If you don't support me, I won't support you!" pissing match between MS and Google. I can't remember who dropped support for the other first now...who cares. Anyway, so you still have to download and install drivers for MTP for your shiney new Win 10 Pro installation even though MTP stands for Microsoft Transfer Protocol.

Except, I don't believe my Nexus 6P required any additional work to add my Exchange account. It came out of the box, like every other Nexus 6P, with Marshmallow. Where would I look to find out if I added the Exchange Services APK? I certainly don't see it in my apps list in Settings. I don't recall what steps I followed to get my mail set up, it was 2 months ago and so much has happened since then, but I certainly don't recall having to side-load anything to get it working in my Gmail app.
 
I dunno...maybe they've settled their differences recently...or maybe I don''t remember that stuff correctly. But my Nexus 6 with the latest updates installed does not support Active Sync. And I just last week I installed a full retail version of Win 10 Pro and it did not include MTP drivers.
 
Got it, but unfortunately I don't know what to tell you, it sounds like something is wrong with your phone. I don't know how long you've had the phone but maybe doing a factory reset might set things straight.

Here's what I have when I add an account through the gmail app
View attachment 212558

and here's what I have when I add an account through settings -> accounts -> add account
View attachment 212559

The exchange options were just there, I never needed to install an apk.

That's the part I'm trying to understand. My phone is all stock and even un-rooted. My friend has the same thing (no Exchange option on his 6P)... although he doesn't need it... this is just as another example.
I hate inconsistencies and would simply like to know what's different.

My Build Number: MMB29M
Security Patch: Dec 1, 2015
Gmail v.: 5.9.109452737
 
It seems that the native ANDROID exchange support IS MISSING IN THE 6P, but the exchange support is available thru the GMAIL APP.

So you either use GMAIL APP and you have exchange support AND you accept to use GMAIL APP for your mail ( with the problem of the UI of gmail app)

OR you add the apk for exchange to use the native android mail client.

Is this clear ( American not my native language )
 
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That's the part I'm trying to understand. My phone is all stock and even un-rooted. My friend has the same thing (no Exchange option on his 6P)... although he doesn't need it... this is just as another example.
I hate inconsistencies and would simply like to know what's different.

My Build Number: MMB29M
Security Patch: Dec 1, 2015
Gmail v.: 5.9.109452737

Those are the same for me. I really suggest a factory reset.

It seems that the native ANDROID exchange support IS MISSING IN THE 6P, but the exchange support is available thru the GMAIL APP.
So you either use GMAIL APP and you have exchange support AND you accept to use GMAIL APP for your mail ( with the problem of the united of gmail app)
OR you had the app for exchange to use the native android mail client.

Is this clear ( American not my native language )

I think the OP isn't seeing the exchange support through gmail either since that was the way they used it on their Nexus 6.
 
Those are the same for me. I really suggest a factory reset.



I think the OP isn't seeing the exchange support through gmail either since that was the way they used it on their Nexus 6.

Ok, I may try it this weekend. Although not sure it's worth the time at the moment since it's working fine.
Thanks all!
 
This can occur for a number of reasons, however I'm not sure why it would occur on Stock firmware (AOSP, CM, other ROM, etc. sure; stock, no idea).

Most likely, any device affected has the install apk on the device, so all one should need to do is enable unknown sources under security settings, navigate to:
  • /system/priv-app/PrebuiltExchange3Google/PrebuiltExchange3Google.apk
    • Tap the apk and select install. Once the install finishes, disable unknown sources under security settings
  • If it doesn't immediately fix the issue, fully reboot the device and the exchange option should now be there.
For devices running anything other than the official system.img from developers.google.com, you should also be able to get core google apps/services installed through OpenGapps.org (this is the defacto source for Google Apps/Services when installing CyanogenMod for instance).