iTunes Apple ID's and the 90-day rule

[boymom75]

Okay, two questions. This 90-days between switching the Apple ID your device is associated with and "automatic downloads" has be completely confused. If you don't know what I'm referring to, see the 3rd paragraph here:

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/16/apple-working-on-allowing-the-merging-of-multiple-apple-ids/

First. My son began his musical life buying music with our family iTunes Apple ID. He bought thousands of songs. Then he grew up, moved out, and established his own iTunes ID. His machine has always been authorized to play songs purchased on both accounts.

At some point, he will upgrade his iphone to iOS5 and his computer to Lion and begin using iCloud. Will he still be able to play songs purchased on both accounts? Or will his iphone and any other non-computer device be forced to pick one ID for it's music library? If not, what's the solution. He is a musician and has more music than anyone I know. He should not have to re-purchase music from one of these two accounts.

Second. For reasons that don't matter here, I have two separate iTunes accounts on my computer, one is USA and the other is UK. I have always been able to switch back and forth. Is this going to end?

Okay, I lied. 3rd Question. The rest of the family still uses that original family iTunes ID. If we set up our iCloud devices with that as the purchasing ID, does this mean that we will always have to MANUALLY download purchases, to prevent everyone getting each other's music (which we don't want, believe me)? Or will the fact that we have separate message/iCloud ID's keep our libraries separate? I hope this makes sense.

 

[shotts56]

I too would like to know the answer to this, as I have both a UK & US itunes account which I (used to) switch between a lot. Hopefully I still can in this wonderful new iCloud-world.

 

[hafr]

Okay, two questions. This 90-days between switching the Apple ID your device is associated with and "automatic downloads" has be completely confused. If you don't know what I'm referring to, see the 3rd paragraph here:

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/16/apple-working-on-allowing-the-merging-of-multiple-apple-ids/

First. My son began his musical life buying music with our family iTunes Apple ID. He bought thousands of songs. Then he grew up, moved out, and established his own iTunes ID. His machine has always been authorized to play songs purchased on both accounts.

At some point, he will upgrade his iphone to iOS5 and his computer to Lion and begin using iCloud. Will he still be able to play songs purchased on both accounts? Or will his iphone and any other non-computer device be forced to pick one ID for it's music library? If not, what's the solution. He is a musician and has more music than anyone I know. He should not have to re-purchase music from one of these two accounts.

Second. For reasons that don't matter here, I have two separate iTunes accounts on my computer, one is USA and the other is UK. I have always been able to switch back and forth. Is this going to end?

Okay, I lied. 3rd Question. The rest of the family still uses that original family iTunes ID. If we set up our iCloud devices with that as the purchasing ID, does this mean that we will always have to MANUALLY download purchases, to prevent everyone getting each other's music (which we don't want, believe me)? Or will the fact that we have separate message/iCloud ID's keep our libraries separate? I hope this makes sense.

1) As far as I know, Apple has said "no" to the possibility of merging Apple ID:s. But a few years ago when I was sick and tired of only being able to sync to one computer, I googled and was told to move or edit a certain file so that the two computers had the same ID in some weird way - either way it was then possible to sync my iPhone to two separate computer with no problem. Maybe your son could use this workaround to "transfer" his iTunes? No new beginnings means no headaches

2) I have heard nothing about it, and I'm still using dual accounts (two different countries) with iOS 5 and Lion 10.7.2...

3) Do you mean that everyone buys with the family account, but still has their own separate Apple ID/s as their main ID's, or that you have several @me.com addresses connected to the family Apple ID?

 

[boymom75]

We all have separate me.com addresses for mail/contacts syncing, but we purchase another itunes Apple ID.

Thanks for trying, but I don't think I was clear in my first question. My son has always been able to get music from both ID's synced... I'm asking if that will change with this one device per ID/90-day rule.

 

[hafr]

We all have separate me.com addresses for mail/contacts syncing, but we purchase another itunes Apple ID.

Thanks for trying, but I don't think I was clear in my first question. My son has always been able to get music from both ID's synced... I'm asking if that will change with this one device per ID/90-day rule.

No, it will not. Only automatic downloads are affected. That is, if he has his account active for automatic downloads, he'll have to wait 90 days before being able to activate automatic downloads on the family account - but he can still download the new apps from the family account manually.

 

[boymom75]

Thanks, so as long as the older purchases are already on his devices (whey they are) and he doesn't need to download them again, he can just give the newer ID to his "automatic downloads" function?

Sorry if I'm dense, just want to get it right.

 

[hafr]

Thanks, so as long as the older purchases are already on his devices (whey they are) and he doesn't need to download them again, he can just give the newer ID to his "automatic downloads" function?

Sorry if I'm dense, just want to get it right.

Correct. There is no problem using more than one Apple ID:s for purchases, updates, syncing to iTunes and so on (just authenticate both accounts in iTunes). So he can delete apps bought with the old ID and sync it back later.

But for automatic downloads he'll need to choose one.

 

[boymom75]

He only bought music with the old ID, not apps. It's all in his library. I guess I'm not totally clear on how syncing works with iCloud. in the past, he would physically connect his computer to his phone periodically to sync the music, and then both devices would always match.

If I'm understanding you correctly, the only issue under iCloud would be if his computer crashed or for whatever reason, he lost everything. He'd have to log in to the old account, download again, then wait 90 days, log in to the newer one, and download all of that?

I guess I'm not totally clear on the difference between the old way of syncing and automatic downloads. Perhaps you can clarify that?

I ask because son number two is going to have to buy all his own stuff one day, too, and I want to know what we're doing.

I'm so sorry to be so dense.