>> However, there have also been many posts throughout this thread where users are complaining because they share the same Apple ID amongst 2 or more different people altogether. That is what Apple absolutely does not recommend.
Thank you for a thoughtful post. I agree with Apple that for most users, having separate accounts is the way to go. If for nothing else, the amount of free iCloud storage is per account. In their FAQ, they state (https://appleid.apple.com/#!&page=faq):
Your Apple ID should not be shared with anyone else. It provides access to personal information including contacts, photos, device backups, and more. Sharing your Apple ID with someone else means you are giving them access to all your personal content and may lead to confusion over who actually owns the account. To share iTunes & App Store purchases, photos, a calendar, and more with someone else, try Family Sharing, iCloud Photo Sharing, or other easy-to-use sharing features.
Now Apple or the iOS software has no way of knowing in whose pocket a phone is sitting in. So from a technical perspective, call list sharing either makes sense or doesn't make sense independent of who actually is using it. If it doesn't make sense for a single user, it certainly won't make sense for multiple users. What can be said is that in the case of multiple users, an option exists to sidestep the issue and is probably a winner for many folks - but not for all. And for single users with multiple devices, I suspect that most don't want their call lists merged - if for nothing else, the merging doesn't tell you which phone the call originated from - it makes it appear that the call came from the current device which is a lie.
So I think the helpful way is to do the following:
1) User complains of call list merging
2) Some who wants to help asks if the device is for multiple users or a single user
3) If it is for multiple users, point out the side-stepping option of separate Apple IDs. If that is not acceptable for any reason, go to step 4.
4) If it is not, tell users that there are problems in this area and to write Apple about it. Point out that it doesn't work the same for everyone and not every solution posted works for everyone.
When 4) is addressed by Apple, folks who are in 3) and don't want separate accounts will be happy as well.
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