Apple working to allow users to merge multiple Apple IDs

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Users with multiple Apple IDs or a separate MobileMe or iCloud account may soon be able to merge their numerous accounts into just one.



Two users who reached out to Apple CEO Tim Cook via e-mail received a phone call from the company explaining they are aware of the issue, according to MacRumors. The problem is expected to grow after Apple launches iCloud, its free wireless syncing service, this fall.



While there is not currently a way for users to combine their accounts into one unifying Apple ID, a representative from Apple reportedly said that the company is working on a solution. The person recommended that, in the meantime, users stick to a single account and make all future purchases on it.



As developers test iOS 5 and iCloud ahead of its release, the problem of having multiple Apple IDs has become even more of an issue, as it is difficult to switch between logins for the Automatic Downloads feature. In addition, devices are locked to a single Apple ID for 90 days.



The apparent response after a user wrote to Cook is yet another example of how the new CEO of Apple is working to satisfy customers. Earlier this week, AppleInsider revealed an exchange another customer had with Apple regarding the transition from MobileMe to iCloud.







Specifically, the user bemoaned the loss of services that will occur when MobileMe becomes iCloud, including syncing of application preferences, keychains, and iDisk. After e-mailing Cook, the user received a phone call from Apple, in which a representative explained that features like iDisk and system preference syncing could return in the future if is demanded by users.



Cook's accessibility to Apple customers is an approach carried over from his predecessor, company co-founder Steve Jobs, who was known to personally respond to e-mails on occasion, like last November when he said "hardly anyone" was buying the company's Xserve rackmounted servers, which resulted in their discontinuation.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 59
    Can't happen too soon!
  • Reply 2 of 59
    Best news this week!



    I have a teenager who had an iTunes allowance funded by my credit card. He went away to school out of state and stopped using his account. It grew a significant credit balance, so, since I had funded it, I started using it for my own App and music purchases. Now my content is registered under two separate account IDs and it makes updates and media library consolidation more difficult than it needs to be.



    This, (and a couple of small but critical iWeb sites I operate) have been nagging issues for me as I contemplate the coming iCloud rollout.



    Please, please, Apple and Mr. Cook - pursue this path!



    This initiative would solve a significant issue for me and, I'm sure, many others in similar circumstances.
  • Reply 3 of 59
    801801 Posts: 271member
    Won't this drop the number of individual accounts with credit card numbers that apple has on file? Isn't this something that SJ always made a point of during his keynotes?
  • Reply 4 of 59
    shenshen Posts: 434member
    "The person recommended that, in the meantime, users stick to a single account and make all future purchases on it."



    Thank god they have a rocket scientist on hand to give this advice...
  • Reply 5 of 59
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    Won't this drop the number of individual accounts with credit card numbers that apple has on file? Isn't this something that SJ always made a point of during his keynotes?



    But I have two darned accounts where I thought I only had one. They have the same:

    Email address

    User name

    CC #

    Address

    And it won't see my mobileMe account ID, the ID is a registered developer, access to iCloud. RPITA.



    It all happened when it went from .mac to .me, what a mess.
  • Reply 6 of 59
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    Won't this drop the number of individual accounts with credit card numbers that apple has on file? Isn't this something that SJ always made a point of during his keynotes?



    I doubt the number that will be affected significantly or at all.
  • Reply 7 of 59
    Yes... Please. Life is much simpler with one Apple ID. I don't know why you can change your Apple ID to any email except @me.com emails. We should have been able to do that long time ago.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    Won't this drop the number of individual accounts with credit card numbers that apple has on file? Isn't this something that SJ always made a point of during his keynotes?



    No necessarily. The problem here is that every MobileMe account is an Apple ID. The other thing is that you don't need a credit card to open an iTunes account. Those accounts with credit card numbers are mostly for people who actively buy from iTunes or the App Store.
  • Reply 8 of 59
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by NasserAE View Post


    Yes... Please. Life is much simpler with one Apple ID. I don't know why you can change your Apple ID to any email except @me.com emails. We should have been able to do that long time ago.



    It's annoyingly Microsoftian.
  • Reply 9 of 59
    merging different country accounts would be sweet.
  • Reply 10 of 59
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by myapplelove View Post


    merging different country accounts would be sweet.



    Unfortunately, since holding different country accounts at the same time is illegal (against Apple's software license that you agree to when setting up an account) I don't think they'll offer this feature.



    Wouldn't it be sweet if they just turned everybody's account into a "world account" and did away with all of the individual country stores. If only the record companies and Hollywood studios would allow it.
  • Reply 11 of 59
    I'm not sure if this is exactly what I was hoping for. I still want to keep my wife's account and my account separate...I would just like us to both be able to see and use each other's purchases. However, I don't necessarily want use to have all of our iCloud stuff merged and automatically synced to each other's machines.
  • Reply 12 of 59
    A miracle has occurred.
  • Reply 13 of 59
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xanthohappy View Post


    Wouldn't it be sweet if they just turned everybody's account into a "world account" and did away with all of the individual country stores. If only the record companies and Hollywood studios would allow it.



    SCREW THEM. Apple just needs to DO IT.



    One iTunes Store. One world. Haven't any of these idiots heard of The Long Tail? It's digital. You don't have to worry about making crap available in a small market. Anyone anywhere should be able to buy anything anywhere.



    Isn't anime kind of a big deal even in the U.S.? The Japanese Store would do well to release their stuff overseas.



    And why should there be separate licenses for Hollywood movies in Europe? Just have them released digitally simultaneously (instead of the stupid months-later policy with discs) and they'll have so much more money all at once they'll fire whoever stopped them from doing this years ago.



    I mean, how stupid can these people be?



    And Apple has the perfect point of leverage to force the RIAA, MPAA, and their respective corporations overseas to do what Apple wants: Apple's about ⅓ of the music industry's profits now. All they have to do is say, "Look, we're making one worldwide iTunes Store. We're gonna make your stuff available for purchase everywhere in the world and everyone else's stuff available in [your country]. If you don't like it, that's fine. We'll just stop selling your stuff altogether. Everyone else will just keep making money."
  • Reply 14 of 59
    I went to http://www.apple.com/feedback and encouraged them to make the change, citing reasons (Apple IDs in 2 countries with purchases in each, necessitating multiple sign-out/-in cycles just to get free updates to paid apps).



    Even if they do it, they may not "do it right" AFAIC, unless they also consolidate store purchases. All my purchases that weren't free are available in both stores. I can see a difficulty if an app is available only in a specific country's store, a potentially big burden on the developer to make it available everywhere.
  • Reply 15 of 59
    .



    Which 'account' are we talking about, dealing with ?



    iTunes, or AppStore, or Apple ID, or MobileMe ?



    Know this - none of them know what the other is doing



    None of the ID's/passwords/etc - not one works with another







    .



    But that didn't seem to slow down the China Hackers a year ago, did it ?



    Maybe we should let them figure a 'scheme' - cut out middle man ?









    .



    Oh, and don't mess up an 'account' by using 'wrong ID/pass'



    THAT will 'lock up' that account until Steve, the China Hackers, somebody



    Personally comes to your home to show you the 'New and Improved Secret Handshake'



    Which will allow you to change the ID/pass for the account that is 'frozen'







    .





    Yea, what a load of shit



    Thinking and writing about this 'subject' just pissing me off



    Apple - get head out ass and fix it



    Now







    .
  • Reply 16 of 59
    About. Freaking. Time.



    It's not a huge issue but it is annoyingly disorderly that I have an AppleID I set up years ago for iTunes and (Mac) App Store purchases and a separate one for MobileMe. I made the mistake of purchasing something on my MobileMe one once and when I got in touch to ask if the two could be merged I was amazed to hear the answer was no. Surely it's not a coding mountain to combine two sets of data under one user.



    Incidentally, it is interesting to see this new spate of phone calls in response to customer emails. Steve Jobs is rightly considered a legend, but communication has long been Apple's Persian flaw. If Tim Cook is taking steps to change that then that's hugely refreshing and perhaps something new he can bring to the company.
  • Reply 17 of 59
    I agree. The switch from mac.com to mobileme gave me two accounts. One is stagnant but it would be nice to have only one. My repairs and service are under the stagnant account and my mobileme is just mobileme stuff. I definitely want them to keept he sync with the keychain. I use 3 computers and like to have all those passwords synced all the time.
  • Reply 18 of 59
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BC Kelly View Post


    .

    Which 'account' are we talking about, dealing with ?



    iTunes, or AppStore, or Apple ID, or MobileMe ?



    Know this - none of them know what the other is doing



    None of the ID's/passwords/etc - not one works with another



    The first three are the same. You can manage them at appleid.apple.com. If you sign up for iTunes, the iOS App Store, or Mac App Store, you are creating an AppleID.



    Each MobileMe account is also a discrete AppleID account.



    Originally, one could create an iTunes Music Store account with a simple handle, like cvaldes. Today, you must use an e-mail address as your AppleID when creating a new AppleID.
  • Reply 19 of 59
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,712member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    Won't this drop the number of individual accounts with credit card numbers that apple has on file? Isn't this something that SJ always made a point of during his keynotes?



    Apple try to do what is best for the end user experience not to inflate or hype numbers. That's the tactics of Apple's competitors these days (shipped v sold numbers for example).



    In other news APPLE almost at $400
  • Reply 20 of 59
    I have 2 accounts because I moved to a different country. I have to keep both as I can't transfer any app purchases to my new account, so if I ever want to update them I have to log-in to my old account.
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