Reference Site: WhatIsMyIPAddress.com
IMAP allows you to access your emails via the Internet. Basically, emails are stored on Email Server and users can access the emails even using the Email Client (like Outlook) but the user is not actually downloading or storing it on his local PCs (Desktop / Laptop / Phone / Tablet) instead, is reading it from the Email Server. So now, without using the Email Client tools, you can directly go to the Email Server URL via any of the Web Browser and access the outgoing and incoming emails.
IMAP is an intermediary protocol between your Email Client and your Email Server. IMAP allows you to access, organize, read and sort your email messages without having to download them first. As a result, IMAP is very fast and efficient. The server also keeps a record of all of the messages that you send, allowing you to access your sent messages from anywhere. IMAP does not move messages from the server to your computer; instead, it synchronizes the email that’s on your computer with the email that’s on the server.
There are several advantages to using IMAP. First, it allows you to access your email messages from anywhere, via as many different devices as you want. Second, it only downloads a message when you click on it. As a result, you do not have to wait for all of your new messages to download from the server before you can read them. Third, attachments are not automatically downloaded with IMAP. As a result, you’re able to check your messages a lot more quickly and have greater control over which attachments are opened. Finally, IMAP can be used offline just like POP – you can basically enjoy the benefits of both protocols in one.
As the world becomes more mobile than ever, IMAP is becoming more and more popular. The proliferation of smartphones, laptops, tablets and other devices is making the demand for IMAP stronger than ever. While POP will remain popular with people who only access their email via one or two devices – and those who have slow connections to the Internet – IMAP is sure to remain the protocol of choice for most of today’s busy people.