Question About Sharing an iTunes Account

[RagingGoat]

My wife and I both have iPads and iPhones and we share one iTunes account. I have set up an @me email address to use with iCloud under the shared iTunes account. We want to be able to share purchased apps, music, etc. but we want things like contacts and photos to remain separate. She wants her stuff to sync with her iPad and iPhone while my stuff syncs with my Mac, iPhone and iPad. We just don't want our contacts, pics, etc. getting mixed up. Any idea how to go about this?

 

[Eric8199]

Have separate iCloud accounts but use the same Apple ID in iTunes/the App Store.

That's what my wife and I are going to do.

 

[dennya]

Had the same question, but do we know that works? (Separate iCloud accounts but one App Store iD?)

 

[diegobgr]

Have separate iCloud accounts but use the same Apple ID in iTunes/the App Store.

That's what my wife and I are going to do.

I have the same discussion with my father and his iPad 2. I have iPhone and iMac.

He wants to have his contacts, calendars separated. But we will like to share some things like apps and photos.

It's possible?

 

[dhy8386]

Had the same question, but do we know that works? (Separate iCloud accounts but one App Store iD?)

Not sure why people keep saying i signed up for an iCloud @me account under my iTunes account. They are unrelated.

The iTunes/App Store account which many people have one of and share with family members (and which could be a gmail, yahoo, or a MobileMe account) is distinct and therefore, shareable across different users devices.

Different users (i.e. wife and husband) are very unlikely to want the same iCloud account since you want to keep your email, notes, contacts separate. Thus, you each can sign up for a different @me iCloud account but share the iTunes account so you have access to the music, apps, books etc.

You can also add multiple iCloud accounts to a phone so that for instance, you could access her calendar and contacts if you wanted. Similar to how it works now with multiple me accounts or a me account and a gmail account. You choose selectively what to show from each account. Only here in iCloud land, there is a primary iCloud account which will be for photo stream and find my phone and thus you cannot have two iCloud accounts on a phone with two photo streams.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

You can also add multiple iCloud accounts to a phone so that for instance, you could access her calendar and contacts if you wanted. Similar to how it works now with multiple me accounts or a me account and a gmail account. You choose selectively what to show from each account. Only here in iCloud land, there is a primary iCloud account which will be for photo stream and find my phone and thus you cannot have two iCloud accounts on a phone with two photo streams.

How does that work exactly? Do you need to switch to a different active iCloud user?

 

[dhy8386]

How does that work exactly? Do you need to switch to a different active iCloud user?

No. I think the confusion in all this stems from the legacy use of AppleIDs and the current understanding of iCloud

iCloud is really two services right.
1) General iCloud - can be any AppleID you make it (doesn't have to be @m3 account). This will then serve as your account that will backup your settings, device, do FindMyIphone and Photostream and contacts/Cal.
2) Perosonal iCloud - this is email (requires @me)

When you set up iPhone for first time, if you don't have an iCloud account i would set up a new one at that time. If you already have a MM account, i would enter that info into the iCloud setup and it will convert this account to an iCloud account.

Next I would then go into Settings and under the Store setting, enter whatever AppleID is used for purchases. Could be same as your MM or a different one but its obviously not the new iCloud one you set up.

Now that you have done that for person A, do the same thing for person B only their iCloud account will be different.

Each device now has a main iCloud account that serves as the master account for iCloud backups etc. However, when it comes to email, contacts, calendar etc, these can all be shared across devices. So assuming person A signs up for iCloud or converts MM, they now have the ability to manage email, contacts, and calendar on their device. This will be tied to the iCloud account (or should be in other words if you want an @me, make it your iCloud). Now if person B does the same thing, you can add person B's iCloud info (although really its could just their @me info and they are kind of synonymous) to person A's phone. You will see the ability to turn on person B's calendar, contacts, etc. However, person A's iCloud account still manages the device.

Does that make sense? Its confusing because of the separation of Personal iCloud (which is the email and people need an @me) from General iCloud. But its all being called iCloud.