HT5527: iCloud: Complimentary storage upgrades for former MobileMe members expired on September 30, 2013

Learn about iCloud: Complimentary storage upgrades for former MobileMe members expired on September 30, 2013
genetherod
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Why is it that when I bought my first generation iPad in October of 2010 the Apple sales rep at the Orange County California store suggested that I pay $99 for Mobile Me "coverage" and told me it was a "one time charge".

Why is it when I bought my first generation iPad in October 2010 the sales rep at the Orange County California South Coast Plaza store suggested that I buy Mobile Me service for $99 which he assured me was a one time charge and now, of course, Mobile Me has been discontinued and I've been "forced" to move to the Cloud and I'm being provided with another year of what Apple calls complimentary service with the clear indication that in a year I'm going to be asked to pay again for something I paid a one time charge for two years ago?

iPad 2, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Oct 5, 2012 8:33 PM

by genetherod,Solvedanswer
genetherod genetherod
Level 1 (0 points)
A:

Thank you for the terrific answer/explanation, the history and the funny stuff, too.  I'm a 74 year old guy who was computer phobic up until I went for an iPad (one) in October of 2010 thinking it idiot proof. Subsequently, I got an iPad 2 and have upgraded operating systems two or three times.  I've learned a heckuva lot these past two years but your explanation demonstrates that I actually know very little (which is okay for my purposes). I'm very appreciative of the fact that you spent so much time (and brain cells) responding to my somewhat naive question.

Posted on Oct 5, 2012 10:52 PM

Close
genetherod

Q: Why is it that when I bought my first generation iPad in October of 2010 the Apple sales rep at the Orange County California store ... more

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 5, 2012 8:38 PM in response to genetherod
    Level 9 (50,431 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 5, 2012 8:38 PM in response to genetherod

    ... in a year I'm going to be asked to pay again for something I paid a one time charge for two years ago?

     

    You don't have to pay any more. Whatever storage you bought will remain available for another year, after which you'll get the same free 5 GB as everyone else.

  • by genetherod,

    genetherod genetherod Oct 5, 2012 9:29 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 5, 2012 9:29 PM in response to John Galt

    Thank you.  If you're saying that everyone gets a 5GB allotment of storage capacity as a basic service and without any cost  then I think I understand.  I'm not an experience computer user and in fact use only my Ipad2 so when you say, "Whatever storage you bought will remain available..." I'm not even sure what amount of storage I bought when I first signed up for Mobile Me.  But I understand your answer about having a basic level of 5GB.  Again, thank you for your assistance.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Oct 5, 2012 10:02 PM in response to genetherod
    Level 9 (50,431 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 5, 2012 10:02 PM in response to genetherod

    Mobile Me was the successor to .Mac (dot mac) which was "free" to all users but for a limited time. It included a free email address @mac.com and an amount of what we would now call "cloud" storage that went by the name of iDisk. iDisk worked great but with only dialup service for me it was barely useful.

     

    So I didn't think much of dot-mac but lots of people thought it was worth paying for, so they did. Apple wanted to make it even more useful and integrate it with their portable devices which we all know as iPads and iPhones, and assembled a team to make it all work. This was to be called Mobile Me.

     

    They failed miserably. Lots of people including me looked at the final product and said "huh?" Unfortunately for the Mobile Me engineers, one of those people was Steve Jobs. He first humiliated them quite publicly, then disbanded the team, including firing at least one senior manager who shall remain nameless.

     

    This was the rocky beginning of what is now called iCloud, which is the "free" service I should have explained. iCloud includes an email address @me.com, and the 5 GB of "storage" which aggregates things like iWork documents, your email, calendars, Photostream, and iPhone backups.

     

    You can buy more storage if you need more than 5 GB, but if you have more than that it's still free through September 2013.

     

    What happens if you have more than 5 GB stored on iCloud and on September 2013 you don't pay? I'm not sure, but you have a year to think about it.

  • by genetherod,Solvedanswer

    genetherod genetherod Oct 5, 2012 10:52 PM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 5, 2012 10:52 PM in response to John Galt

    Thank you for the terrific answer/explanation, the history and the funny stuff, too.  I'm a 74 year old guy who was computer phobic up until I went for an iPad (one) in October of 2010 thinking it idiot proof. Subsequently, I got an iPad 2 and have upgraded operating systems two or three times.  I've learned a heckuva lot these past two years but your explanation demonstrates that I actually know very little (which is okay for my purposes). I'm very appreciative of the fact that you spent so much time (and brain cells) responding to my somewhat naive question.