"When" will Mobile me be free?
Yeah, not should or will, but when? Times are changing, storage is very cheap, and bandwidth is becoming very cheap also. Google are putting together an ecosystem that is everywhere and free! Not to mention it should be obvious to everyone that in the next 8 years Google will develop their own OS. The idea of making Mobile me free is to get all Mac users to use it, rather than something else, to open up a Mobile me API, so guys like 280 Slides can make compelling apps for mobile me, and to not only get people to use Apple rather than Google, but to make the Mac, OS X, and its apps more powerful, appealing and compelling. But the number 1 reason to make it free is to sell Macs.
If Apple greatly improved Mobile me, opened up an API, and made it free I believe they would sell many Macs because of it, and it would be a great gesture to their loyal users, that yes, we're a company, and yes we care about the bottom line, but we also care about our users, and we're today going to prove that. Times are changing, and I think it's time Apple did too.
What this would do for all Mac users, new and old, and the company's image would be huge, and I'd suspect the money they make from more new computer and iPhone sales would greatly exceed the money they make from Mobile me. Not to mention they would grab a whole new group of evangelists with this. People wouldn't even know about it, and when they set up their new computer they'd be over the moon to find this free service that's embedded throughout the OS, and syncs with their other computers, their iPhone and the cloud.
Not if, but when?
The could offer a starter pack for free, similar to the current service, and they could have a pro package for a cost, with 3-5X what the starter pack has for $99. The need a free option though, it would be a good PR move, and a great business move. There's no doubt in my mind, this would sell Macs, and it would get new users into the Apple fold. It should be in their interests to do this, as it would make the Mac very compelling and integrated "out of the box". With no hidden fees. That in my mind would warrant the slogin; "it just works!".
Flame me all you want, Mobile me should be free. Not cheaper, or cheap, but totally free! And please don't say how could they afford to make it free, I explained how above.
If Apple greatly improved Mobile me, opened up an API, and made it free I believe they would sell many Macs because of it, and it would be a great gesture to their loyal users, that yes, we're a company, and yes we care about the bottom line, but we also care about our users, and we're today going to prove that. Times are changing, and I think it's time Apple did too.
What this would do for all Mac users, new and old, and the company's image would be huge, and I'd suspect the money they make from more new computer and iPhone sales would greatly exceed the money they make from Mobile me. Not to mention they would grab a whole new group of evangelists with this. People wouldn't even know about it, and when they set up their new computer they'd be over the moon to find this free service that's embedded throughout the OS, and syncs with their other computers, their iPhone and the cloud.
Not if, but when?
The could offer a starter pack for free, similar to the current service, and they could have a pro package for a cost, with 3-5X what the starter pack has for $99. The need a free option though, it would be a good PR move, and a great business move. There's no doubt in my mind, this would sell Macs, and it would get new users into the Apple fold. It should be in their interests to do this, as it would make the Mac very compelling and integrated "out of the box". With no hidden fees. That in my mind would warrant the slogin; "it just works!".
Flame me all you want, Mobile me should be free. Not cheaper, or cheap, but totally free! And please don't say how could they afford to make it free, I explained how above.
Comments
The only thing is god knows when it will become free.
I have a current Mobile Me account and find it extremely useful
Amorya
Google are putting together an ecosystem that is everywhere and free!
If Apple greatly improved Mobile me, opened up an API, and made it free I believe they would sell many Macs....
Google is advertising supported.
Mobile me works on PCs too.
It used to be, many years ago.
Amorya
Well iTools was free, yes. Though that was at a time when storage and small amounts of bandwidth weren't cheap like today, it's very cheap today. The time is right to try something new, and I believe they'll gain back some customer respect and confidence and ultimately sell more products as a result. It would be great for schools. They'd buy a load of Macs only to find out they can all publish website and share calendars etc. All built-in. Which is the important part, Apple could use this as the most persuasive sales tool ever. It'd be like Google's apps, but with a better UI and more integrated, and it would Apple's own stuff.
That or Google could somehow get Gmail to push on iPhone.
I'll take either.
The problem with the premise given is this. It assumes there is pent up demand for MobileMe. Demand that today won't spend $99 but will spend $1000 for a new computer just to gain access to MobileMe. That is no foundation upon which to foster a business proposition.
Transactions generally involve mutual consideration. Apple delivers a set of services and if these services add value they can command a small sum for their efforts. By reducing MobileMe to free you've effectively disturbed the quid pro quo nature of the deal. The assumption is that by giving MobileMe away you will reap profits on the backend but consumers instinctively are wary of "free" deals. If an item is worth something then they figure there should be charge commensurate to that worth.
Google's products are free only if you assign no value to your privacy. Broadcast TV is free only if you assign no value to being a captive audience to %33 of your broadcasts being commercials. It's really how you assign value personally.
Linux has attempted to parlay the "it's free" strategy to varying levels of success. There is always a cost for superlative features. The best thing a company can do is deliver a product or service so compelling you are happy to pay your money. MobileMe may not be there yet but Apple's goal should be to take it there.
MobileMe should never be free. The problem with the premise given is this. It assumes there is pent up demand for MobileMe.
No it doesn't. Mobile me is quite a useful service, it's handy, and it should be free cause; at a small costs to Apple, relatively speaking, they could make the Mac more powerful out of the box and allow new and old Mac users to use all the apps on their new Mac to their full potential at no extra cost. And like I said it would also be a good will gesture and a great PR move. It would sell more Macs, and will make all new users more happy with the Mac and more likely to recommend it. They could get an iPhone and have push email and have everything in sync right out of the box. Mobile me should be free because it's an opportunity for Apple to take a bold step with their service to get all Mac users to use it and open it up to third parties, or Apple could add more apps to in themselves. They could use it to help create a rich cloud client for Mac users to share and collaborate with other Mac uses. It would even help the Mac sell to schools and businesses.
It's not about there being a pent up demand, it's about using it as a sales tool to help sell Macs and iPhones/iPod touches. It's about phrasing it as a bonus you get with the Mac. Push email, sync services, publish files, photos and websites right out of the box, at no additional cost. Share and collaborate with your business colleagues, all you need is a Mac, and Mobile me - which is now free!
Now is the time to take a brave leap with this service. Open it up and set it free!!
The MobileMe trial began to seem like it was going to go on forever, since Apple kept tacking on more time to make up for having released a half-baked service to begin with. Sadly, not so. My own trial term recently came to an end, but by the time it did, I?d become fairly dependent on the service, so I quietly acquiesced while Apple charged my credit card for the full subscription.Some others did not go so quietly, and promptly canceled their account rather than be caught paying. The result? All of their data not only no longer synced, it no longer existed. Part of the downfall of storing info in the cloud is that when you stop paying for said cloud, it has a very short memory. What had happened was that users who?d forgotten to disable sync in their devices? settings had indeed synced. With their information gone from the MobileMe servers, what replaced it was blank information. Long story short, sync with nothing and you end up with nothing.
I know you're new but don't EVER let Apple charge your card for MM again. Buy the Amazon MM for $69 and upgrade your account yourself.
MobileMe is a given for me once I have an iPhone or iPod Touch. I'm not really all that into "free" services because of someone screws up your data or account what leverage do you really have. Threatening to run to Google services isn't going scare anyone.
By MobileMe costing money it gives me leverage to ensure my complaints are heard and respected and it gives Apple incentive to improve their services.
Fortunately, I got a free year of access and have found syncing and the file storage to be quite handy, but not something I couldn't live without. Unless they offer something really new and compelling I'm in two minds whether I'd bother paying to continue.
Apple didn't get to the position it's in by giving anything away, so I wouldn't get your hopes up about them making it free. If anything they will improve the service and add more features in order to justify the cost. Right now, $99 for a bit of web storage, an email address and a push notification service seems pretty excessive to me.
Fortunately, I got a free year of access and have found syncing and the file storage to be quite handy, but not something I couldn't live without. Unless they offer something really new and compelling I'm in two minds whether I'd bother paying to continue.
Hell it's $59 bucks at Amazon now. I'll be signing up for MM this summer prior to buying a iTouch. Could I live without it? Sure but even in today's economy $6 a month is trivial even if I use just one feature of Mobileme to good effect.
Companies are no longer trying to get a consumer to purchase one component of hardware, rather every piece of technology will brand their companies logo. Whether it's google's android based solutions, Microsofts windows based solutions, or apples IOS solutions. The key to market dominance is having a consumer stick to one language to satisfy their needs.
Mobileme is the keystone service that pushes full integration into one language, it is what will push a consumer into buying all mac products vs. their competitors. That being said, this type of service will be free in the future anyways given the current trend for storage pricing as well as bandwidth. because of this all companies will provide this service free quite soon. it is merely a question of being the first in the market or following other companies. Given apples affinity for setting the trend in the marketplace, Mobileme will be the first cloud service provided free which will boost "iSales" across the board.
Hell it's $59 bucks at Amazon now. I'll be signing up for MM this summer prior to buying a iTouch. Could I live without it? Sure but even in today's economy $6 a month is trivial even if I use just one feature of Mobileme to good effect.
Everybody always seems to quote $59-$69 for a renewal, but its never there when I'm looking. I've renewed through Amazon several times over the years, but usually ~$80.