Many of you will have a number of Apple IDs, especially if you’re a MobileMe subscriber. So when you login to iCloud, or Game Center, or the iTunes Store, or FaceTime, or iMessage… how do you know which one to use? Well, thankfully, Apple is working on Apple ID account merging that will turn all of your 30 Apple IDs into just one.
The issue was first highlighted by TUAW back in July when Apple first introduced automatic downloads across all your Macs and iOS devices:
Some readers have been managing two Apple IDs on purpose and are now frustrated about the fact that Apple is restricting logins for automatic downloads. Others have only just discovered that they have two IDs. Most of them have already contacted Apple, only to be given the same answer without exception: Apple will not consolidate Apple ID accounts.
If you’re a MobileMe subscriber, you’re likely to have at least two Apple IDs: your original account for the iTunes Store, and your MobileMe account. If you login to your iPhone with one, you cannot switch and use the automatic downloads feature on the other account for 90 days — which will be a huge issue for some.
However, Apple seems to be working on a solution, according to MacRumors:
MacRumors reader Robert emailed Apple CEO Tim Cook about the issue, and quickly received a phone call from an Apple executive relations employee. She had spoken to the team responsible for Apple IDs and acknowledged that they understood the issue and that more people would run into the problem with iCloud. She also repeated that there is no way yet to combine accounts but revealed they are working on it. In the meantime, she recommended picking a single account to plan on keeping indefinitely and to make all future purchases on that account.
Another user reports hearing the same information after emailing Tim Cook over the same issue.
I’ll certainly be looking forward to this feature. Will it help you with the upcoming launch of iCloud?
