Merge apple id's, me.com and itunes account?

Okay, Question because without reference I don't understand your predicament

old@me.com = Mail & Purchases

new@me.com = Mail??

is that how you are set up??

It is what I believe to be a common predicament:

Apple ID 1 = email@some.domain.com, iTunes purchases (ID set up many moons ago)

Apple ID 2 = email@me.com (ID set up automatically when mobile.me account created)

Firstly, this presents the existing problem that I cannot use my email@me.com (my preferred email address) for Apple ID 1, so have to keep using a different address for that (or I could switch to buying stuff on Apple ID 2, but then I have to sign out and in with my old ID if I have app updates on my old ID, and all my DRMed stuff is linked to my old ID, so I still have to authorize all my computers with that ID too, hassle hassle hassle).

Then, the upcoming problem is that when iCloud launches, a big factor of it (in my mind, at least) is that it allows you to synch all your apps and music (and TV shows were recently added into the mix) between all your devices. This is great, but all my apps and music and TV shows are linked to Apple ID 1.

OK, so I use Apple ID 1 for iCloud.

BUT, iCloud will also include email, great I have an @me.com email address. Ah, but that has it's own Apple ID, which none of my purchases are linked to.

So, what I wonder is, will I be able to merge/link Apple ID 1 with Apple ID 2, to have my purchases form Apple ID 1, and my existing email address from Apple ID 2? Or will I need an iCloud account for Apple ID 1 (which will presumably get a new @me.com address, but not the one I want) and one for Apple ID 2 (so I can keep my prefered @me.com address)?

Also, I now no longer understand what your predicament is. If you want to use your mobile me address as an Apple ID, you can do that right now. It is an Apple ID. It's an issue for those of us who want to keep their pre-existing Apple ID, and use their mobile.me address with that.

You're in exactly the same boat as me.

AppleID = @gmail.com (purchases and what-not)

MobileMe= @me.com (Email/Calendars/etc/etc)

Though i don't want the @gmail one to be related to Apple at all, Ive been trying to get rid of it and that is how i found this thread.

My Predicament.

If anyone tries to use an @me.com it will state (in red) that they are reserved for MobileMe and cannot be used as an apple ID, Hence my first post.

I have a few hundred dolars invested in my AppleID (gmail) and would prefer not to use 2 accounts as an AppleID

MobileMe isn't an AppleID until you use it as one, but am not able (yet) to use it as my login email

I don't believe Apple will allow you to use another services address as a login for their iCloud

Yes, as I thought, we are in the same predicament. I also don't want to use my non @me.com address at all, but do want to use the Apple ID account that it is linked to.

It is my understanding that Mobile Me is an Apple ID, whether you have used it as one or not. I've never used it as one, but if I try and log ibnto the store using it, it recongises, and refers to it as an Apple ID. Also, the reason I have always seen as to why you can't use your mobile.me address with another Apple ID is because it is already used as an Apple ID.

I am possibly confusing terms Apple ID and Apple Account, however, there doesn't seem to be a clear dividing line between the two.

Still, end of the day, we have the same issue, we want to use our @me.com email address with our older apple account, and we are both hopeful that this is sorted out when iCloud launches (if it isn't, then I think this will become a bigger issue than it already is, as 100s of people sign up to iCloud, then realise their old iTunes purchases are on a different Apple ID, and have no means of merging the two; and existing mobile.me users need to create iClouds accounts for their iTunes account and their mobile.me account).

"I don't believe Apple will allow you to use another services address as a login for their iCloud"

If they don't, then they will have to offer a way for new users to link an existing account to a new @me.com address.

However, I believe they will allow you to log in with any Apple ID, @me.com or otherwise. If you go to icloud.com and try and log in, you can use a non mobile.me login, and it won't reject it on those grounds, it will only reject it on the grounds of it not being a developer account (so still accepts it, checks the authorisation, and checks if it is a valid developer account). I realise this is fairly weak evidence.

Glad that is resolved, now, can you test something, as i know it doesn't work for me.

If you go to the apple store and try to change account info on your itunes/apple id change the (Primary email/login) to your MobileMe account.

Just to test

I had just tried this in iTunes, to verify that I wasn't going mad, and that my mobile.me account was already set up as an Apple ID automatically.

It doesn't work because it tells me my MobileMe address is already used for a different Apple Account, and that if I own that account, I can cancel and log in with that ID instead.

I have never used my mobile.me account for anything other than mobile.me (I've always been very careful to not use it for something else, in case in the future they allow you to merge them, but only if the mobile.me one hasn't been used for anything else).

Here is what I think...

Fact - For now, you cannot merge iTunes/AppleID accounts

Fact - Many people would like this... I personally want to get rid of my old account and have it all in one.

What I think - This fall, when iTunes in the Cloud comes out, we will be able to take all of our music in our library (regardless of iTunes account affiliation) and upload it to the cloud.

What else I think - Apple has never screwed anyone over! Patience is a virtue my friend. Give it 'till fall and it should all work!

Together we'll keep our fingers crossed for the KICKASS service that Apple will unveil in a month or so!

Are you cool with this answer?

I think the MobileMe sign up was a bit of a (**** up) and I too am in the position of:

Apple ID 1 - username@anydomain.com (created yonks ago)

Apple ID 2 - username@me.com (created when MobileMe worked)

So for all AppStore, and iTunes Store purchases I use ID 1. However you do not need to use the username@anydomain.com and you can assign your MobileMe email address to it without it having a mardy about your actual MobileMe account.

So basically go to Apple.com sign in on ID1 change your username to something you like (does not have to be an email addy). Then change the email to your @me.com address.

Whilst this doesn't solve the problem of two ID's it does mean you do not have to maintain your old email addresses just for iTunes and AppStore. All my purchase confirmations are sent to my MobileMe email address.

I have a MobileMe family account but all members of the household have their own iTunesStore accounts, AppStore is all on my ID as the Administrator.

But MobileMe to iCloud FAQ offers little hope for this i am afraid:

"If I use different accounts for iTunes and MobileMe, can I merge them into a single account and use it with iCloud?

No. You cannot merge two accounts into one. However, you will be able to move your MobileMe account (yourname@me.com) to iCloud and, if you choose, you can continue to use a different iTunes account for store purchases and iTunes in the Cloud."

smokefortyaday wrote:

However you do not need to use the username@anydomain.com and you can assign your MobileMe email address to it without it having a mardy about your actual MobileMe account.

So basically go to Apple.com sign in on ID1 change your username to something you like (does not have to be an email addy). Then change the email to your @me.com address.

OK, so I appleid.apple.com to try this out.

Attempt 1) "change your username to something you like (does not have to be an email addy)"

Tried that, got the message "Please enter a valid email address as your Apple ID.". So, seems it does have to be an email address.

Attempt 2) tried changing it to my mobile.me address:

"You cannot create an Apple ID using a MobileMe account. If this is your email address, it is also your Apple ID."

Attempt 3) tried adding mobile.me address as an additional email address:

"Email address is already verified for another Apple ID"

So, unless you can provide further details as to how you can actually achieve what you suggest, then I will continue to have a mardy, thanks!

But MobileMe to iCloud FAQ offers little hope for this i am afraid:

"If I use different accounts for iTunes and MobileMe, can I merge them into a single account and use it with iCloud?

No. You cannot merge two accounts into one. However, you will be able to move your MobileMe account (yourname@me.com) to iCloud and, if you choose, you can continue to use a different iTunes account for store purchases and iTunes in the Cloud."

That's very ambiguous, though possible holds some promise. It does sound perhaps like it will allow you to use your mobile me address for email and your old account for iTunes in the Cloud. Not sure if that is within one iCloud account, or if they just mean you'll be able to do so with a single iCloud account.

It is a really stupid situation though. I also wonder if I will be able to cancel my mobile.me account, and then quickly sign up for icloud and baggs my old email address to go with my mobile.me account (I'm assuming new iCloud user will be able to chose an @me.com email address - though, maybe they will also be in the situation of that then being an Apple ID, and being a different Apple ID to their old one).

Luke sorry it didn't work.

I have done it in the past my AppleID is a one word name (not an email address).

I went in through iTunes and clicked on iTunes Store then Click Account (under Quick Links on right hand side)

Confirm Apple ID password....

This brings up your Account Information the very top line is Apple ID, click on edit, here you should be able to change the username to "whateveryouwant" and then edit the email addy to be the same as your me.com address.

Click Done.

According to http://store.apple.com/uk/help/your_account#changedetails

It is easy to change your user name, password, or billing information. Just click on “Account” at the top of any Apple Store page and sign in. Once signed in, you can review and edit your personal information. Alternatively you can visit http://myinfo.apple.com to modify your Apple ID account.

Also check here http://support.apple.com/kb/HE40

Nope, first line for me is 'Email', and doesn't let me change it to anything other than an email address.

I guess it possibly depends on when, and how, you set up your Apple ID, or is maybe something that's no longer possible to do.

Well in short thats a bit poo....sorry again.

Like you I will think about the deleting re-signing thing but part of me thinks once a MobileMe addy has been deleted Apple will not allow it to be regenerated as that could cause privacy problems.

Just wish they would let us merge the IDs its ridiculous that we can't. Either that or I will adopt iCloud with a different email address later this year and use MobileMe to forward emails from my existing me.com address to the new one and slowly inform people of the changeover until MobileMe is closed down. Could be good way of ridding myself of so much junk and spam at the same time 🙂

I have the same issue as others here:

old old mobile me/apple id: @me.com

current apple id (still old): @gmail.com

All of my Apple activity has been on my current gmail.com apple id: itunes purchases, applecare, dev account,etc.

I only had my me.com account for 1 subscription period and found that I didn't really use it enough to warrant paying for it. However, I still "own" that address and can login to mobile with it for "find my phone". Currently, I can't access email on it because my subscription is expired. However, that should change when iCloud goes GA.

Like others, it would be awesome if I could merge my non-me.com apple id to my me.com apple id and use that going forward.

Found this article....

Apple appears to be working on a process to allow iTunes users with more than one Apple ID to somehow "merge" them into a single account. The ability to do so will be critical to the early success of the company's new iCloud service, since it relies on Apple IDs for syncing iTunes purchases and other data.

The problem with managing multiple Apple IDs with iCloud first became apparent when Apple launched an early beta of one of its features called "iTunes in the Cloud." It allows users to automatically sync iTunes purchases between iOS devices and computers running iTunes. When you link an Apple ID to your iPhone, for instance, any apps, songs, and iBooks you buy from your computer are automatically downloaded to your iPhone (and vice versa).

The problem comes in when users have multiple Apple IDs. Users may have multiple Apple IDs for a variety of reasons, such as separate accounts for work and home use, or multiple Apple IDs used by a single family. MobileMe users can also use their MobileMe accounts as an Apple ID. Most MobileMe users likely had Apple IDs before they had MobileMe accounts, however, so all these users effectively have two Apple IDs even if they don't know it.