iPod Multiple iTunes account question

[Dr Kevorkian94]

So currently our household only uses one iTunes account for all of us, which becomes a problem for certain things (such as photo stream and iMessage). I know we can use multiple accounts under one card to fix this but I'm not sure how to go about it. Do I just create another account under the card and iTunes will understand that both accounts use that card and allow both accounts to access purchases? I also know apple rolled out some new way to share purchases with family members as well so I'm a bit confused. All I want is for our purchases to be shared but our iCloud, iMessage, and photo streams to be separate. Any thoughts? Any help is appreciated, thank you!

 

[ApfelKuchen]

So currently our household only uses one iTunes account for all of us, which becomes a problem for certain things (such as photo stream and iMessage). I know we can use multiple accounts under one card to fix this but I'm not sure how to go about it. Do I just create another account under the card and iTunes will understand that both accounts use that card and allow both accounts to access purchases? I also know apple rolled out some new way to share purchases with family members as well so I'm a bit confused. All I want is for our purchases to be shared but our iCloud, iMessage, and photo streams to be separate. Any thoughts? Any help is appreciated, thank you!

You don't have to wait for Family Sharing for this purpose. You can use more than one Apple ID on an iOS device (or Mac) right now - there are separate sign-ins for iCloud, iMessage/FaceTime, iTunes & App Store, and Game Center. So, if you wanted to keep your iCloud contacts and calendars and iMessage/FaceTime info/identities separate, but want to keep sharing your iTunes & App Store purchases, you can:

Create an Apple ID for each family member that they can use for iCloud, iMessage/FaceTime, and Game Center sign-ins, and leave the existing Apple ID signed in at the iTunes & App Store.

You do NOT have to create a new iTunes & App Store account for each Apple ID.

This has another benefit in addition to privacy/segregation of personal data - it means each family member gets 5GB of free iCloud storage - sharing and managing iCloud backup storage and Photo Stream can be quite a challenge when several people are sharing it.

The new family sharing feature is not required to do this - people have been doing this for years.

What the new feature simplifies is maintaining separate purchase accounts for each family member, in order to keep track of each person's purchase activity (including that parental permission pop-up). It also means that the current "error" of creating and using a new iTunes Store account when you really wanted to keep sharing the existing account can be fixed. Apple will not merge Apple ID/iTunes Store accounts, but this new feature is the functional equivalent.

 

[kelub]

^ This.

I have 5 people in my family. Wife, 3 kids. All have their own Apple IDs for messaging, iCloud, etc. All also share my 1 purchase ID so that we all have access to the same apps, I can control what my kids download by making them come to me to input the password, etc. That's been the case since they rolled out iCloud (iOS 6 maybe? Don't remember exactly.)

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

You don't have to wait for Family Sharing for this purpose. You can use more than one Apple ID on an iOS device (or Mac) right now - there are separate sign-ins for iCloud, iMessage/FaceTime, iTunes & App Store, and Game Center. So, if you wanted to keep your iCloud contacts and calendars and iMessage/FaceTime info/identities separate, but want to keep sharing your iTunes & App Store purchases, you can:

Create an Apple ID for each family member that they can use for iCloud, iMessage/FaceTime, and Game Center sign-ins, and leave the existing Apple ID signed in at the iTunes & App Store.

You do NOT have to create a new iTunes & App Store account for each Apple ID.

This has another benefit in addition to privacy/segregation of personal data - it means each family member gets 5GB of free iCloud storage - sharing and managing iCloud backup storage and Photo Stream can be quite a challenge when several people are sharing it.

The new family sharing feature is not required to do this - people have been doing this for years.

What the new feature simplifies is maintaining separate purchase accounts for each family member, in order to keep track of each person's purchase activity (including that parental permission pop-up). It also means that the current "error" of creating and using a new iTunes Store account when you really wanted to keep sharing the existing account can be fixed. Apple will not merge Apple ID/iTunes Store accounts, but this new feature is the functional equivalent.

Perfect! Thank you so much! One question though, this means that find my iPhone will be separate too? because currently I ca find all the devices by signing in one account.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Yes, you're right about Find My iPhone. Until iOS 8 arrives, you may be able to make Find My Friends perform a similar function - the down side being that your other family members have control over whether they can be located.

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

Yes, you're right about Find My iPhone. Until iOS 8 arrives, you may be able to make Find My Friends perform a similar function - the down side being that your other family members have control over whether they can be located.

Ah ok, I figured. On the plus side I was able to set up accounts as instructed and it works like a charm! Thanks everyone!

 

[Pharmscott]

Just checking: you realize that you can share previous iTunes purchases among the new family accounts? iTunes allows this now and it's not stealing or breaking any rules.