After the keynote yesterday, there was a great deal of confusion around what happens to current MobileMe subscribers with the introduction of iCloud. Apple posted a Knowledge Base article full of information about the MobileMe transition, but for some it caused more questions than it answered -- especially for those who have renewed their MobileMe accounts recently.
Here's some more detailed information.
If you wish, you can cancel your service immediately and get a refund, the amount of which depends on how long ago you renewed.
If you want to keep MobileMe until iCloud comes out, you can do that and still get some of your money back. Just cancel your MobileMe service in the fall, once iCloud arrives, and you'll get a pro-rated refund depending on how long ago you renewed.
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All users who had active MobileMe accounts as of June 6, 2011 have had their accounts extended through June 30, 2012 -- that's next year, 12 months away -- for free. MobileMe will continue in its current form for that time. Nothing changes, if you don't want it to, for a year.
However, you cannot make any changes either. Users cannot get a new MobileMe account either through the 60-day free trial, or by buying a new subscription. Individual accounts cannot be upgraded to family packs and additional storage can't be purchased either.
Refunds
Now, we've heard from lots of readers who are concerned that they're getting a raw deal, mostly because they renewed their memberships recently (some as recently as Saturday or Sunday) and they are upset that people are getting for free what they paid for. Apple has laid out another knowledge base article that covers cancellation, refunds and the like.
Apple will cancel and refund your full $99 subscription payment if you renewed in the past 45 days. However, you will lose all your MobileMe services immediately, and have to sign up again with everyone else when iCloud comes out in the fall.
If your account was renewed 46 days or more in the past, you will receive a pro-rated refund, based on the date you submit your request. Again, you will lose access to all your MobileMe services.
Here's the best part, though:
If you have an active MobileMe subscription and would like to cancel it for a refund, you may do so at any time.
This means you can cancel your MobileMe subscription in the fall when iCloud is released and get some of your money back. This seems pretty fair -- you'll get the full service that you paid for, and will get a little money back.
Related Links:
Apple Knowledge Base: Information about the Mobile Me transition
Apple Knowledge Base: All about MobileMe box refunds and subscription cancellations
Top Rated Comments
If iOS 5 has you sign in with your AppleID to keep track of music/app purchases, etc... but you have a different account for your email/contacts/calendars through MobileMe... there doesn't seem to be a decent way (at this point, at least) to merge the two accounts.
for reference, here's some people explaining the issue better:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/15351517
what happens to all my idisk data?
also does the new iCloud manage my PDF documents for me?
I still don't get it. I renewed 15days ago. Will they refund by mailing me a check? Or giving $99 to my iTunes account?
If you click on the information page linked in the article it explains that based on how you purchased it, it'll be a check or go to a CC etc ...
I hope they keep pumping out more Knowledge Base articles about the transition, because I still have a lot of questions, and none of the MobileMe support agents know anything more than I do.
I really want to know what is going to happen with iDisk. Its slow, but it works for backing up some important files. I'm also interested in what will happen with Galleries. I don't use that as much, but I use it occasionally and would hate to see it go.
Edit: I just want to add that what jonessodarally said right above this post is a huge issue for me as well, and something I've been concerned about. Apple really needs to publish some sort of solution to this, or a way to merge accounts.
I'll hate to lose iDisk for sure, but I can deal - there are tons of other options now.
Losing galleries however is going to be a major, major problem if that happens. They're one of the easiest and best ways to share and store super high quality images in a streamline and gorgeous interface. I've set up several for friends'/relatives' weddings so that everyone there can upload and download pics/videos in HQ in one place. If they get rid of them I'm going to ****ing kill somebody.
I hope they bring back @mac.com e-mail addresses. I still hate @me.com
Agreed. me.com sounds generic and boring, whereas mac.com is simple and clean, yet instantly self-explanatory.