AppSuite:OX Mail

Pre-Information - OX Mail (In Production)

OX Mail is a native mobile phone app built specifically for smartphone users who already have a valid OX App Suite account. The app is designed to let users access their OX App Suite email environment directly from a mobile phone native client.

OX Mail enables users to synchronize mails between a variety of smartphone devices and OX App Suite. OX Mail consists of two elements: The OX Mail component that is built into OX App Suite and the native OX Mail app.

OX Mail is a native app designed specifically for an associated platforms and devices. This gives a user full access to their mails anytime, anywhere and on any device.

The OX Mail app has been designed specifically for ease-of-use and is available for both iOS and Android.

Please Note: OX Mail app and the server side push functionality will be finally available beginning of August. With the new native app, Open-Xchange also provides a new branding concept for the customers and partners. More information in the chapter Integrated Branding/Customization Concept for Partners and Customers

Requirements

Server-side Installation and Configuration

With OX Mail, Open-Xchange App Suite is prepared for server based PUSH functionalities. To enable the App Suite backend to sent push messages to the OX Mail app you need to install an additional package carrying the Google Cloud Messaging and the Apple Push Notification certificates. These will become available in the repository https://LDBUSER:LDBPASSWORD@software.open-xchange.com/products/mail/stable/mail. The package is named open-xchange-mobile-push-restricted.

IMPORTANT: The PUSH functionality depends on the used mail backend.

• Dovecot Pro Customers - Out of the box: PUSH functionality will be available for Dovecot Pro, in combination with additional plugins!
• If you are not using Dovecot Pro as the mail backend, your mail backend has to actively notify the Open-Xchange middleware servers about new eMails. This implies the creation of an additional OX middleware plugin, to receive those notifications. Please contact your assigned pre-sales / prof. services contact for details.

Requirement	System / Platform / User Interface / Server Capability
OX App Suite	OX App Suite v7.6.2 (latest patch version 2569 W27)
OX Mail (App) for iOS	Apple iOS 7, Apple iOS 8 (tablet support in a later version)
OX Mail (App) for Android	Smartphone on Android 4.2 or later (tablet support in a later version)
Server Capability	Ensure that all user who should get access to the Mail App have the capability com.openexchange.capability.mobile_mail_app

Key features

• Easy to use start-up wizard.
• Standard folders plus the ability to create folders and sub- folders.
• Standard compose fields such as To, Subject, Cc, Bcc and Attachments.
• Received email attachments can be displayed.
• Contact integration of local contacts and OX App Suite address book contacts.
• Support for PUSH notifications (available only if the OX App Suite Server provides the corresponding push functionality). Note: PUSH notifications require a server side OX App Suite middleware plugin. This plugin is only available for a limited number of email servers. Dovecot Pro is supported out of the box.
• Custom mail signature.
• Integration of an easy branding/customizing concept

A more detailed overview of OX Mail, can be found at: http://software.open-xchange.com/products/mail/doc/OX_Mail_Product_Guide.pdf

Integrated Branding/Customization Concept for Partners and Customers

In addition to the email functionality that OX Mail delivers, Open-Xchange also provides the ability, for its customers and partners, to add branding elements to the app. During the installation of the app a user is presented with a list of preconfigured providers. When a provider is selected the app is automatically setup and branded for that provider. For both design reasons, as well as app store restrictions, branding means:

• The app design is “Super Flat”. This means there are not many elements that can be, or need to be, styled in order to match a particular brand.
• The app does not contain or use any logos of any sort.
• At install time the app uses a startup wizard in combination with a hosted configuration service. The wizard gives the end user the option to select a provider from a list. When this is done the app will retrieve the branding information from the configuration service and changes its theme accordingly.

If you would like to try out the OX Mail app and participate in our launch partner program please contact your Open-Xchange Sales representative. Please note that participation will require the integration of OX Mail into your current system.

If accepted, participants will then be asked to provide specific information such as:

• Confirmation that they are running OX App Suite 7.6.2 including the latest patch (upcoming Patch 2569 - schedule for CW 27).
• A full URL where their OX App Suite service can be reached by a web client.
• Two test accounts on their OX App Suite service, where we can verify that the OX App Suite system works as expected.
• A “logo”, “name” and “description” of their service. This information will be used in the app itself and app store description.
• A preferred color (CI color) that Open-Xchange will use for the app if a user chooses their service from the provider list.

Pricing & Availability

This email app is available for both iOS and Android and can be downloaded for free from the corresponding App Stores. The availability of the various clients depends on the approval process of the respective app stores. Clients for iOS and Android will be made available from both Apple App Store and Google Play. The availability of the various clients will be confirmed by Open-Xchange via the usual communication channels. The Open-Xchange Middleware components can be downloaded from the respective download repositories.

Please contact Open-Xchange Sales for further information and pricing details.

Enabling OX Mail for Users

OX Mail is enabled for all users that have the capability com.openexchange.capability.mobile_mail_app

More details about capabilities can be found at AppSuite:Capabilities. Furthermore, this capability can be defined in a more granular way using the Config Cascade as described at ConfigCascade.

IMPORTANT: By default, the capability for the OX Mail app is set to false for all users. It can be changed by editing the corresponding capability in the "permissions.properties" config file, or if you need a more fine grained selection of enabled users, you can use the well known provisioning tools / config cascade.

Installation of the Clients

The OX Mail will be available via the different App Stores for iOS and Android by August 2015