As is true for many Mac users, I remember not-so-fondly back in 2002 when the nifty and free iTools became the very similar but not-even-close-to-free .Mac … and then later got renamed to Mobile Me. While many users find the tools useful and therefore subscribe, there is nearly constant discussion about the pricing model and comparisons about the services offered compared to free or inexpensive alternatives. Many folks hope that Apple will price the service more competitively, or perhaps even make it free.
According to MacDailyNews, that day might be approaching:
We have received a tip that we cannot confirm, hence our “RUMOR” designation, that nonetheless has at least an air of credibility about it that says, “Apple is planning to make MobileMe free.”
No timeframe was given for MobileMe to go free, other than: “sooner than later… depends on certain facilities going operational.”
Personally I think this is too long in coming. I do make use of many of the services, but the so-called ‘web suite of apps’ might be ad-free, but the email is *the* worst performing webmail client I use by a long shot; the web gallery looks like a high school programming project next to Picasa; and I cannot even begin to say that I have remotely gotten $800 of value based on what I have paid since the .Mac service launched – it is more that I’ve been held hostage to my Mac Mail account and hosted and didn’t want to make the effort to switch everything over.
As the site says, this is only a rumor at this point … but we can always hope that Apple makes good on this one.
Source: MacDailyNews via Macrumors