Will MobileMe users get refund?

[NJRonbo]

It seems as if Apple is trying to do everything
they can not to reimburse MobileMe customers
for their remaining months of subscription.

To extend the program out another year is
just ludicrous when considering that iCloud does
everything MobileMe does at no charge.

I have a contact deep within Apple. An executive.
I have written her an email this morning explaining
how many of us feel, and asking for her to bring
this issue to the forefront so that Apple can address
how they will better take care of current MobileMe
subscribers.

As soon as I hear back from her, I will report what
she says.

 

[paulsalter]

so we only get the mm extension till june 2012 if we dont migrate to iCloud

I would have expected most people to migrate to the new free service when it becomes available, which means losing some of the mm features in a few months

 

[halfab]

Mobile Me

A reasonable solution to this would be to

1. Stop taking new subscriptions (which they've done)

2. Charge mobile me customers pro rata till September when iCloud is live.

I think most reasonable people would agree with this. It defies logic that I am charged 1 years subs on June 6 for a service that is made free on June 7 with no recourse apart from canceling my whole account.

 

[KeithJenner]

so we only get the mm extension till june 2012 if we dont migrate to iCloud

No I don't think that's the case. Where did you get that from?

It does look as though cancelling your MobileMe may be an option, in which case you will get a pro-rata refund. However as iCloud isn't up yet you would be without a service for a while. However, on another thread someone says that they have cancelled MobileMe and, after a short break in service, it now seems to be active again until June 2012.

I think we've got to give this one a bit of time to become clear.

 

[paulsalter]

No I don't think that's the case. Where did you get that from?

It does look as though cancelling your MobileMe may be an option, in which case you will get a pro-rata refund. However as iCloud isn't up yet you would be without a service for a while. However, on another thread someone says that they have cancelled MobileMe and, after a short break in service, it now seems to be active again until June 2012.

I think we've got to give this one a bit of time to become clear.

this is my thinking (would like to be proved wrong though)

currently have mm free until june 2012
icloud is going live in the autumn (falll) but seems to be missing some mm features (galleries, idisk etc)

if i leave things as they are, my mm will continue until june 2012
if i upgrade to icloud when it is released i will lose galleries/idisk etc as i will no longer be using the mm service, i will be using icloud instead

does any of that make any sense ?

 

[KeithJenner]

Yes, it makes sense, but I think you're wrong.

Here's how I see it:

MM runs until June 2012. iCloud will go live in the Autumn. You then have 9 months or so to migrate over. If you close not to use iCloud then your service will expire in June next year. If you transfer over some bits (i.e. contacts/mail) but continue to use MobileMe until June for the others (iDisk) then that will work.

Of course we don't know what is going to happen to iDisk and some other features at the moment. It may be that iCloud will offer something similar. If not then we will have until next June to find an alternative.


Edit: Thinking about it further, I don't think you can be correct.

I have paid for MobileMe until next Feb. If MobileMe cuts off when you start using iCloud then I would not be getting the service that I've paid for. Apple may be able to justify not giving refunds to people who have paid just because others get some of the service free, but they can't charge you for a service they don't provide.

The emails we have received specifically states that we have MobileMe until next June. There are no conditions attached to that as far as I can see.

 

[paulsalter]

Yes, it makes sense, but I think you're wrong.

Here's how I see it:

MM runs until June 2012. iCloud will go live in the Autumn. You then have 9 months or so to migrate over. If you close not to use iCloud then your service will expire in June next year. If you transfer over some bits (i.e. contacts/mail) but continue to use MobileMe until June for the others (iDisk) then that will work.

Of course we don't know what is going to happen to iDisk and some other features at the moment. It may be that iCloud will offer something similar. If not then we will have until next June to find an alternative.

I would like to think your way sounds best

would hate to get short notice to do something with my data on iDisk and photos in my galeries

 

[Wicked1]

MobileMe Refunds

Did anyone else log into their account and ask for a Refund, I did last night and received an email stating I would receive a check in 2-4 weeks?

Just curious if anyone else is doing this, because I paid for June 2011-2012 in advance before the announcement, also good news MobileMe is free becuase now I do not have to pay $150 per year for a family plan.

 

[RDowson]

You do realise that by cancelling you will lose your @me.com email address and all other MobileMe services?

 

[G2244]

I just got off a chat session with a MobileMe advisor (was asking for a refund WITHOUT canceling the account - mine auto-renewed on May 23rd). They wouldn't give me one but here is what they said:

"I definitely understand you wanting a refund, but since the accounts aren't in the new format yet. There has been no transitions, and the accounts won't refund just yet. When the accounts began to transition the process for any refunds will be announced and instructions emailed to those affected."​

Pressed further they added:
...

"once the instructions for the transition is released customers will be notified on how to handle their paid accounts."​

So there may possibly be some kind of refund plan already being discussed?

 

[Wicked1]

You do realise that by cancelling you will lose your @me.com email address and all other MobileMe services?

I did not cancel, but requested a refund as per their instructions for the money I paid to renew my MM from June 2011 to june 2012? I did not cancel my service though.

 

[G2244]

I did not cancel, but requested a refund as per their instructions for the money I paid to renew my MM from June 2011 to june 2012? I did not cancel my service though.

So you didn't click on the big button labeled "Cancel Subscription..."??

 

[seamuskrat]

I hope they figure out the startegy and migration.

I could easily give up iDisk and use DropBox, but it was nice to have an Apple solution. That said, I started migrating my iDisk files to Drop Box already.

I use personal domains, and photo hosting and such for family pics. I will miss that. I am not one for sharing my photos on Flikr or Facebook with all their security and privacy baggage. Not that MobileMe was free of that, but it was far less of a problem. I am sure the ohotos can be shared via iCloud, but I liked haing my own domain and place, and now I have to fins some host and deal with that.

Most concerning is email accounts. I pay for an extra. I like to have obe for things liek online bills, one for personal and one for resumes, work, etc. I know I can go an do this on gmail, but I have so much established with the current .mac emails. I hated it when I had to migrate ISPs so often years ago. I thought .Mac was the solution.

While Yahoo, GMail and others provide nearly limitless free emails, the hassle of changing your web presence sucks. I wish Apple could clarify if you presently have a family pack with 5 emails or the add on $10 email you can keep it with iCloud. That would be a huge relief.

 

[s15119]

I got email yesterday indicating I was eligible for a refund!

 

[NJRonbo]

I got email yesterday indicating I was eligible for a refund!

Boy, that's a first. I hope this isn't someone
trolling (forgive me but you can see why I ask).

What are the circumstances that make you eligible
for a refund? When did you join/resubscribe?

 

[MagicBoy]

I got email yesterday indicating I was eligible for a refund!

Would you care to provide some proof?

Not that I doubt you...

I'm a tad miffed as my account auto-renewed 3 weeks ago...

 

[aristobrat]

A reasonable solution to this would be to

1. Stop taking new subscriptions (which they've done)

2. Charge mobile me customers pro rata till September when iCloud is live

Option #2 doesn't work for everyone. There are a lot of people that use MobileMe features that don't exist in iCloud (iDisk, Photo Galleries, web hosting). They're not all likely to simply stop using MobileMe entirely when iCloud goes live in the fall. It takes time to find suitable replacement hosting and move all of the data (especially for web hosting and photo galleries, if the new host doesn't support direct publishing from iPhoto/Aperture or iWeb, like MobileMe does).

These are two completely different services with a few features that overlap. iCloud is not a free version of MobileMe.

 

[antzona]

I was fine with canceling and losing my email address and service. Getting back my $99 was more important to me. There is no way I was going to pay $99 for a service someone else was given for free, simply because their renewal date was four days after mine.

It really seems like Apple should have let people, in a similar situation to mine, know about this transition. Instead I kept getting emails reminding me to renew my subscription. They knew that four days later they were going to make this announcement and I would be paying $99 for something others would get for free. They are slaves to secrecy even when it means alienating customers who have been MobileMe subscribers since 2002.

So, I'll get my $99 back and in the Fall I'll have to set up an iCloud account like I am a new customer. Hopefully my email address is still available.

Any news on whether iCloud will offer space to host iWeb sites?

 

[halfab]

Option #2 doesn't work for everyone. There are a lot of people that use MobileMe features that don't exist in iCloud (iDisk, Photo Galleries, web hosting). They're not all likely to simply stop using MobileMe entirely when iCloud goes live in the fall. It takes time to find suitable replacement hosting and move all of the data (especially for web hosting and photo galleries, if the new host doesn't support direct publishing from iPhoto/Aperture or iWeb, like MobileMe does).

These are two completely different services with a few features that overlap. iCloud is not a free version of MobileMe.

Fair point however not entirely true. For Photo Gallery substitute Photo Stream, iDisk - Document backup. The only service they're not offering or haven't announced is web hosting. I'm sure they will do something on this since iWeb is still included with every machine.

My frustration (and many others) is having money debited from my account on Sunday night and finding out that the service is free for any renewals from the following day on. This is sharp practice.

 

[r0k]

Fair point however not entirely true. For Photo Gallery substitute Photo Stream, iDisk - Document backup. The only service they're not offering or haven't announced is web hosting. I'm sure they will do something on this since iWeb is still included with every machine.

My frustration (and many others) is having money debited from my account on Sunday night and finding out that the service is free for any renewals from the following day on. This is sharp practice.

I also have quite a few iDisk items copied to dropbox. I just need to get the rest done.

I gave up on and stopped using MobileMe web hosting as soon as Apple support told me there was no support for php or even server side includes.

The only thing I have left on there are some photo galleries I have been thinking about moving anyway. I do appreciate the wireless sync, though. When I picked up my iPad, it was "mine" before I walked out of the Apple store once I put in my mobile me login. The same was true when I picked up my iPhone 4.

I will keep MobileMe going until I successfully get all my photos moved somewhere else but the hosted stuff is duplicated on my Mac in iWeb should I ever decide to publish it elsewhere so I'm not going to even bother backing it up. It's not "live" anyway unless somebody knows my mobile me web address.

My MobileMe renewed in May. I never had a CC on file but I knew there was a shakeup coming and I didn't want my stuff going dark so I opted to let Apple charge me for another year of MoMe rather than rush to move my stuff around to meet Apple's timing.

I think it's worth paying to keep wireless sync and push email working. Hopefully I'll have a photos solution worked out by fall and I can cancel MoMe when I port to iCloud and I will probably get a partial refund.

 

[iMrNiceGuy0023]

Find My iPhone is free now??

 

[Bukey]

Please forgive me if I sound harsh - I don't mean to and this isn't meant as a flame. I just wonder why so many people are getting wound up about refunds?

I say this as a MM subscriber. The fact is that we've all paid for a service we're getting - and Apple have extended that time for everyone to 30th June 2012.

Admittedly some people do well out of it and get over a year's extension - and others only get a few days - but everyone gets more than they've paid for and agreed to subscribe for at the time they decided to subscribe or renew.

Admittedly the new iCloud offerings are coming and they're free for everyone - including us. Whilst it would be nice for Apple to give those that transfer across to iCloud a redund if we do so before the end of our original paid renewal dates, surely this would be an optional gesture of goodwill rather than something we really have any right to expect?

I mean - regardless of transferring or not, we'll be entitled to keep our MM accounts until June 2012 - as well as create separate iCloud accounts as everyone else can?

(Of course - as already mentioned in the thread there's the 45 day refund clause for those that really want a refund to forego the service).

 

[aristobrat]

Fair point however not entirely true. For Photo Gallery substitute Photo Stream, iDisk - Document backup. The only service they're not offering or haven't announced is web hosting. I'm sure they will do something on this since iWeb is still included with every machine.

My frustration (and many others) is having money debited from my account on Sunday night and finding out that the service is free for any renewals from the following day on. This is sharp practice.

Photo Stream in iCloud is only the last 1000 pictures, and as far as I've read, there's no public Gallery feature allowing you to share them with friends and family. So much for having your Christmas pictures for the last 5 years in a gallery shared by your family.

Document Backup only seems to speak to backing up your iOS device. You dont seem to be able to use it as a drag n drop storage with the ability to share with others, like iDisk.

I understand your frustration by missing the free cut-off by one day. If they made the cut-off a day later, there'd still be people upset about that cut off. Seems like an overall no-win.

Are you not eligible for a pro-rated refund if you cancel when iCloud goes live?

 

[halfab]

Are you not eligible for a pro-rated refund if you cancel when iCloud goes live?

I think this may be the case all right. I'll have to risk relinquishing my email address and hoping I can get it back as quick!

Sure there has to be some cut off point within reason. I feel that taking money from people in the previous few days/weeks is ethically wrong when they knew the service is going to be free.

 

[Coin]

I just asked MobileMe customer service about a refund since I just renewed by code inside a retail box only 2 days ago. Apple told me that NO REFUNDS or CREDITS will be issued to anyone who renews no matter what the date is.