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I've got the oddest problem with the built in email client. I've got an account that connects to a POP3 server that works fine. I've got another account that connects to an IMAP server, and the email is always about a day late. This is very weird. AFAICT, all the mail eventually arrives, and the same mailbox viewed on a PC works fine, but the last email actually displayed on the phone is usually about a day old. I could understand complete failure, or even randomly dropping emails, but I can't figure out what would cause a rolling delay like that. Any help much appreciated. Thanks!

Update: I'm looking more closely, and the delay is actually 20 hours, which seems like an awfully strange number.

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    To help eliminate a simple possibility, does the same thing happen when using a different mail app like K9?
    – Mr. Buster
    Commented Feb 10, 2012 at 19:56
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    I installed K9 and was shocked to see the same thing happen. So the problem seems to be in the interface between the phone and the server, not the app, but I'm at a loss for what it could be.
    – Joshua Frank
    Commented Feb 11, 2012 at 21:13
  • I have the same problem on both a Kindle and a Samsung S3. My Droid X phone still receives mail almost immediately. I have tried 4 different email clients on the phone with no noticeable improvement. I spent hours on the phone with my host Go Daddy and Verizon and no one has a solution or an answer. The strangest part is sometimes when I get a notification it will preview a few new emails but when I open the app they are there. I personally think the problem is partially with Android build because an older version on my phone works fine.
    – user35338
    Commented Jun 6, 2013 at 3:04

4 Answers 4

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I think I've finally solved this one by using some of the folder settings in K9. In Settings --> Account Settings --> Fetching Mail, I set Poll Folders and Push Folders to "Only First Class Folders", and this seems to have done the job. To be honest, I'm not sure what these settings mean exactly, but I'll live with that.

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Check that you have correct date time settings both in the phone and in the server, perhaps you have set wrong timezone or set an incorrect AM/PM, and this somehow confuses the mail client about which messages to get.

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    Everything is correct and I called tech support and they confirmed that the email settings are correct. They suggest calling the phone manufacturer, or the cellular carrier, neither of which seem very likely to be able to help.
    – Joshua Frank
    Commented Jan 11, 2012 at 16:24
  • @JoshuaFrank - I agree, the OEM nor the carrier are going to have anything to say while everything but this one account works correctly.
    – Mr. Buster
    Commented Feb 10, 2012 at 19:50
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I would suggest trying K-9 Mail, like Mr. Buster already said. It's IMAP support is better than the stock app's. For me, it receives my emails almost faster than Thunderbird on my desktop due to PUSH support.

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  • I tried K9 (see my comment above) and have the same problem. I'm baffled.
    – Joshua Frank
    Commented Feb 11, 2012 at 21:13
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I would get back in touch with your email provider's tech support. We know that your phone and network are working correctly (your other accounts work fine) and that your phone's apps are working correctly (you found no difference with K9). That means it's the IMAP connection you're trying to make with this particular server.

  1. Do they have any backup servers you can try to connect to?

  2. If you create a new account with them, for testing purposes, does it do the same thing?

  3. Some providers prefer connections to use POP3 versus IMAP - using POP3 connection, do your symptoms change?

Your provider should be able and willing to help with all of these questions. If not, politely ask to be escalated to a lead.

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