Apple Pulls MobileMe From Stores – The End? Or Start Of New Cloud Services?
Written by Rob Nichols on February 25, 2011 · Filed under Internet, Tech
For one reason or another, Apple has clearly decided that right now is a good time to make changes. A lot of changes. First, Apple gives us new MacBook Pro laptops, then that is swiftly followed by an impressive developer preview of the next version of Mac OS X, 10.7 (Lion), and on top of that there is an iPad 2 event just next week.
Today, though, might mark the end of another product, rather than adding a new one, as Apple has pulled it’s MobileMe cloud services package from online stores and shelves in its many high street stores.
It can’t be said that it was altogether unexpected, I mean, there has been talk of such an eventuality for some time, but for now you can still sign up for the free trial of MobileMe on the official website, which is strange, however all the indications are that this spells the end for the whole service.
Apple Insider reports that Apple has declared Mobile Me ‘end of life’, however an official statement from Apple has said only that it has discontinued the retail box version, so maybe we’ll be seeing something different being done with this service through the various App Store’s in Apple’s possession? I don’t know, but surely if they were pulling the product altogether, they wouldn’t leave it open for new customers.
Perhaps we’ll finally see Apple turn it into a digital locker of sorts, cloud storage like the Dropbox service, but for all your digital media in the Apple eco-system?
So, if you are a user, or have been a user in the past, or maybe want to be a user in the future, then let us know what you think in the comments section below, as always. Do you think MobileMe has a future? Do you think it warrants one? Or do you think this is just another step in Apple’s strive for having all of its software only distributed digitally?
Via – Apple Insider
I woke up to an email asking me to renew MobileMe at the end of this month…
On the one hand, I don’t use nearly enough of the service to feel it’s worth it.. (I have a paid photo hosting account, use Evernote, and GMail…)
On the other hand, having my address book synced between all my computers and devices is handy… I find I do most of my address book updating from my iPhone.. I also share files through MobileMe iDisk.
Al…
@Alan
Chances are it won’t be discontinued, just another step in Apple’s plan to make everything digitally distributed only. May even see OS X 10.7 heading that way too. I guess, for a start, it’s cheaper on Apple’s part to distribute it this way, and it may encourage people to buy, rather than pirate, the software.
Never used MobileMe myself, but I imagine it is only worthwhile if you do have the Mac, iPad and an iPhone (or a combination of two). Keeping all your things in check.