Complete synchronization equivalence in asynchronous and delayed coupled maps

Coupled map lattices are paradigmatic models of many collective phenomena. However, quite different patterns can emerge depending on the updating scheme. While in early versions, maps were updated synchronously, there has been in recent years a concern to consider more realistic updating schemes where elements do not change all at once. Asynchronous updating schemes and the inclusion of time delays are seen as more realistic than the traditional parallel dynamics, and, in diverse works, either one or the other has been implemented separately. But are they actually distinct cases? For coupled map lattices with adjustable range of interactions, we prove, using both numerical and analytical tools, that an adequate delayed dynamics leads to the same completely synchronized states as an asynchronous update, providing a unified framework to identify the stability conditions for complete synchronization.