push mail versus POP3

[iCheese]

What advantage does push email have over POP3 email? I tried reading the wikipedia article on push email, and understand that push email is somehow always connected to the mobile device. What I don't understand though, is how this is any different than other services, such as gmail, considering that you can have your iPhone set to check for new messages automatically.

 

[overanalyzer]

In theory, push e-mail will be delivered immediately, whereas other accounts are checked on a regular schedule, i.e. every 15/30/60 minutes. In practice, the time for arrival of push e-mail can vary a little, so while you may get your e-mail a bit faster than setting your iPhone to check every 15 minutes, you may not notice a big difference all the time.