Confused about Apple ID using iMessage, iTunes, etc...

[ohwhatanight]

So I've had an "Apple ID" since the first version of the iTunes store. I've used this ID to purchase items on iTunes, set up Genius Bar appointments, post on Apple Message Boards, etc...This entire time, my Apple ID has been my personal email address "xyz@domainname.com". (For those who haven't had enough coffee today, that's not my actual email address). I've also had a me.com account for a few years. I never used the email address "xyz@me.com" but I've used MobileMe for the rest of it's features.

iMessage is now fully functional with my phone number, but trying to get messages to go to my "domainname.com" account does not work. When setting it up on my iPad it asks for my Apple ID and password, which is my "domainname.com" email. When I enter the info in, it says "Unable to verify email because it is already in use."

I went to the Apple ID site, to try to change my Apple ID to my me.com account, but when I do that it says "You cannot create an Apple ID using a MobileMe account. If this is your email address, it is also your Apple ID." HUH?

Additionally, as a test, I set up iMessage on my father's iPhone. Using his Gmail account, it said the same thing: ""Unable to verify email because it is already in use." When I used his Me.com account, it worked, but now, when he sends me texts, if it comes from his phone it is one chat, and if it comes from his iPad it's a second chat stream. How do I combine it into one? I thought that was the whole point.

If anyone can answer these 2 questions, I would be forever grateful.

 

[tivoboy]

Well,

Well, all I can say is you are not alone.


I'm having the same issue, not sure what the problem is. I THINK that one problem might be that I DO use my xyz@me.com address on iphone, for calendar and contact syncing, this is NOT my apple ID. If that address is in use for these syncing functions I think the icloud setup gets confused. I haven't taken the step of turning off the mobileme setup I have on the device yet.

 

[madmaxmedia]

You shouldn't have to change anything about your accounts, because a similar setup works fine for me on my iPhone. My gmail address is my Apple ID, which I use for both iTunes store and for iMessage.

What does it currently say in 'Receive At' in the Messages Settings? I gues there's no Apple ID listed, and just your phone number in the 'You can be reached for messages at:' section?

 

[tivoboy]

same

I show my phone number AND my apple id, which is a gmail address in the imessage settings. This works fine.

 

[HiRez]

Girlfriend and I both use the same AppleID (my old Mobile Me ID) on 2 iPhones and 1 iPad for purchases (new apps and music automatically get downloaded on all devices when purchased on any), but separate, new iCloud IDs on each phone for syncing and iCloud services (keeps each of our contact lists, calendars, bookmarks, etc. separate). Works pretty well but yeah it is confusing.