Frequently asked questions about the MobileMe transition and iCloud

Summary

iCloud is Apple's new cloud service, which stores your music, photos, apps, calendars, and documents and wirelessly pushes them to all your devices. iCloud integrates seamlessly with your apps, so everything happens automatically. iCloud is free for iOS 5 and OS X Lion users. More information is available at www.apple.com/icloud.

Products Affected

MobileMe

MobileMe Services

What's happening to MobileMe?

The core services provided by MobileMe have been rewritten to work seamlessly with iCloud. MobileMe will no longer be available as a paid sync service. If you had an active MobileMe account as of June 6, 2011, your service has been extended through June 30, 2012, at no additional charge. After that date, the MobileMe service will no longer be available.

Following is a list of MobileMe services and whether they are available in iCloud:

In addition, the following new services will be available in iCloud:

• iTunes in the Cloud
• Photo Stream
• Documents in the Cloud
• Automatic downloads and purchase history for apps and books
• Backup and restore

Can I keep my MobileMe email address once I move to iCloud?

Yes. If you have an active MobileMe account when you sign up for iCloud, you can keep your me.com or mac.com email address and any email aliases you have created and move your MobileMe mail, contacts, and calendars, as well as your bookmarks, to the new service. When you're ready to make the move, go to www.me.com/move.

Can I access iCloud services on the web?

Yes. Web access to iCloud Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Find My iPhone are available at icloud.com.

What happens to the iWeb sites that I've published to MobileMe?

You can continue publishing iWeb sites to MobileMe through June 30, 2012, even after moving to iCloud. With iWeb you can easily move a site published to MobileMe to another web hosting service and you should do so before that date. Please read this article for details.

What happens to the pictures that I've posted to my MobileMe Gallery?

You can continue using MobileMe Gallery through June 30, 2012, even after moving to iCloud. You should save copies of all photos published to your Gallery before that date. If you have a Mac, it is likely that most of your Gallery photos are already in iPhoto. If not, you can sync the Gallery photos to your iPhoto library. You can also download your photos and movies from the web. Please read this article for details.

What happens to the files on my MobileMe iDisk?

You can continue using MobileMe iDisk through June 30, 2012, even after moving to iCloud. You should save copies of all files stored in iDisk before that date. Please read this article for details.

What happens to the other sync services I use for my Mac?

Syncing of Mac Dashboard widgets, keychains, Dock items, and System Preferences are not part of iCloud, but will continue to be available for you to use until you move to iCloud. After you move to iCloud or after June 30, 2012, whichever comes first, these sync services will no longer be available. Other MobileMe services that are not transitioning to iCloud (iWeb publishing, Gallery, and iDisk) will continue to be available through June 30, 2012, even after you move to iCloud. Please read this article article for details.

 

MobileMe Accounts

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. Please read this article for details.

I currently use more than 5GB of storage in MobileMe. Can I buy more storage for iCloud?

Yes. iCloud includes 5GB of free storage for mail, documents, and backup, which should be enough for most users. Purchased music, apps, and books do not count against this 5GB of storage, nor do the photos in your Photo Stream. If you still need more storage, you can easily purchase a storage upgrade right from your device.

Can I upgrade my MobileMe account to a Family Pack or buy more MobileMe storage?

You can no longer upgrade your individual account to a Family Pack account or buy additional MobileMe storage. However, if you already have a Family Pack subscription, you can still create new family member accounts until you move to iCloud.

Can Family Pack members move their MobileMe accounts separately to iCloud?

Yes. The master account holder and each family member can move their individual accounts whenever they like, as long as they do so before June 30, 2012.

I purchased a MobileMe box and have not used the activation code inside. How do I get a refund for it?

If you have an unused activation code from a MobileMe box, you can submit a refund request.

Can I cancel my MobileMe subscription and receive a refund?

You can cancel your service at any time and receive a prorated refund for the unused portion of your paid subscription. The free extension will not be included in the proration. When you cancel, all MobileMe services, including mail and syncing of contacts and calendars, will stop working, and your data will be removed from MobileMe.