It's price comparable to Dropbox for storage, while adding features well integrated into Apple's apps and hardware.
Assuming you pretend the web hosting bandwidth, email accounts, sync services, etc., are free and the only cost is storage, it works out to about $0.30/GB stored, already not bad for a consumer service.
For me, instant and reliable multidirectional sync of any contact, calendar, and bookmarks data, across all my computers or mobile devices, is worth $8/month.
> For me, instant and reliable multidirectional sync of any contact, calendar, and bookmarks data, across all my computers or mobile devices, is worth $8/month.
I have the same through Google and it's free. Apple is losing the cloud race badly, maybe free would help.
His summary: "If you’re contemplating this change, I highly recommend setting aside a few hours for research first. You may be unpleasantly surprised."
Some more issues are discussed in today's TUAW article, "Sync Wars: Address Book vs. Google Contacts":
I love Google, and I would probably use it if I had an Android phone. MobileMe's biggest draw for me is its integration with Apple products with syncing and Find my iPhone/iPad.
I'm on an iPhone/iPad/MacBook Pro. The fact that I can't have MobileMe on my domain makes it a deal breaker and Google's offering actually a step above.
I have "the same" though Google too, except it's not remotely the same. The contact sync is limited, calendar sync doesn't cut it either without a third party app like BusySync (which I use), IMAP isn't push for real time email, etc.
Also, it's not free through Google, it's ad supported or $50 per year per user.
"There are certainly valid business reasons for Apple to offer the service for free"
Then it's a shame the article can't come up with any. The ones listed are either guesses ("might sell more devices") or counter to Apple's established, and highly lucrative, business model.
Making mobileMe free could be a good way to lock in customers to Apple products long-term. If all of your data is on your mobileMe account, it's easier to just buy another iPhone next year than worry about how you're going to move it all off and transition to Google...
I totally agree. The internet has had this discussion millions of time in the past, and this post does nothing but turn 1 or 2 obvious points into a giant essay.
The fact's are.. They wont. Remember, it's the small additions to sales that make sales highly profitable and if they made it free, people would probably register for many accounts and use them to host warez. The .Mac servers are already slowly crawling along. By making it free, they would probably grind to a complete halt.
The author also fails to recognise that unlike Google, Apple's core profit model isn't advertising, instead, Apple actually does the opposite (wastes untold amounts on advertising). So Google profits heavily from their web apps, whereas web app's actually cut into Apple's profits.
Great in practice, but in reality, terrible idea. In fact, I'd be as bold as to say this article is as terrible as the idea..
> people would probably register for many accounts and use them to host warez.
Do people host warez on Dropbox accounts (in the Public folder)? Those are free and easily obtainable en-masse; you don't even have to keep the files on your own computer if you unlink the account after loading it.
I agree with you that right now it probably makes little sense for Apple to offer the service for free. A couple reasons that I see that they may change though are:
1) A slight jab at Google. Right now I have my mac address book, iPhone, and Google address book all syncing OTA. It was a bit of a PITA to setup, but works now. If Apple offered the same service for free I would most likely switch.
2) Making the service free could add another selling point for macs, iPhones, and iPads. A "buy this item and you also get into another exclusive club" type of thing. The problem with this reason is that Apple doesn't seem to need to do this right now since demand already seems quite high at the moment.
My guess is that mobile me will not be free anytime soon unless Apple rolls out some new base technology that requires MM to function.
making mobileme free would increase the usage exponentially. I don't even know how big it would be, but it would be big. if you go back two years you will remember that apple had a huge problem with mobileme at first. it's just not their core competency and something they want to deal with. when they are ready, they will make it free and do a damn good job of it.
they may also make this free to completely and utterly fuck with google apps (consumer side).
the cash doesnt matter. the revenues from mobileme are minuscule.
Agreed. Other than the iTunes store(s), Apple doesn't have a very good reputation with rolling out network services. Especially free-to-use ones like the notification api.
I've been a subscriber for the last few years. MM is worth the price to me but mostly because I'm very lazy. I can understand why people don't want to pay for it. You can find free alternatives for almost every feature but you may end up cobbling together half a dozen or more apps/services. This requires more time and effort to setup and maintain than I'm willing to invest for something so mundane. If Apple goes free they just need to be prepared for an influx of millions of users overnight.
I can see benefit in Apple moving MobileMe to a 'Freemium' model.
They could keep current subscription revenue, introduce a pared-back offering. All the while establishing a web channel for their Quattro Wireless advertising platform.
Would be a good hook for increasing MobileMe up take, takes a swipe at Google and keeps Apple customers in the 'walled garden' and out of the myriad of similar services that are popping up (e.g. Dropbox et al).
Since I'm going to be selling access to a service that offers part of the functionality of MobileMe — Wide-Area Bonjour, which does much of what Back to My Mac does — I hope they don't.
Actually, iTools was free. As costs rose, most particularly due to iDisk storage space and increasing support needs, iTools was renamed .Mac as a subscription-based service.
