mixing appleID, iCloudID, iTunesMatchID, PhotoSyncID, AppleStoreID (what else have I missed?)

[alokeprasad]

So far, I have been using one AppleID for

My iPhone5
Wife's iPhone5c
Family's iPad3
Son's iPod
Son's iPhone6 (soon!!)

We share the apps, iTunes_Match (I have purchased the extra storage for it), PhotoStream, .. everything. It is messy and getting out of control w iMessage and iCloud features. I want to clean it up.

Q1: How many devices can I use w just one AppleID? If I keep adding more devices, can I keep going with my current setup and share apps, media (purchased videos and iTunes_Match) with any number of devices? If there is a limit, how do I dis-associate an old device from my ID?

Q2. If I maintain my AppleID as the one with purchased content (apps, etc) and get separate AppleID for my wife and son, how should they set their devices up so that we still share the apps, videos, books etc but have our own identity for iMessage (and what else?).

Q3. What is the best combination of entering the my AppleID (with the purchased content) and the individual's AppleID on each device?

Q4. How will "Find my iPhone" work if devices have a mixture of ID's on them?

Q5. How will "PhotoSync" work if devices have a mixture of ID's on them?

Thanks all for reading. Hope for some pointers on this identity crisis

Aloke

 

[Ledsteplin]

Use the same iTunes Apple ID, but different iCloud, iMessage, and FaceTime ID's. Each device should have their own. Only share the ITunes ID.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[Ledsteplin]

You should be able to use the Find My iPhone app to keep track of the other devices. They don't have to have the same iCloud ID. But you do need to know those ID's.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[alokeprasad]

Thanks.
I still want to track my son's location using "find my iphone". Will that work if they use their own ID for iCloud?

How will their pictures get backed up to the PC using Photosync? Can the iCloud software running on my Windows PC sync pictures from different AppleID's?

 

[alokeprasad]

So, to be able to track his phone, I'll need his AppleID and password?

What about Photosync? Can my PC sync pictures from multiple AppleID's?

 

[Ledsteplin]

Do all of you want to sync all your photos to each other? If so, why? I don't want all my wife's photos. She doesn't want all mine. We just iMessage photos to each other. The sync is for syncing photos from like your iPhone to your iPad. You guys need separate iCloud ID's. You will have many problems if you don't.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[Ledsteplin]

mixing appleID, iCloudID, iTunesMatchID, PhotoSyncID, AppleStoreID (what else...

Thanks.
I still want to track my son's location using "find my iphone". Will that work if they use their own ID for iCloud?

How will their pictures get backed up to the PC using Photosync? Can the iCloud software running on my Windows PC sync pictures from different AppleID's?

Yes, but if your son knows the passcode, he can just disable it. You will need to be the only one to know the passcode and lock it in Restrictions in his settings. Does your son want all his photos automatically backed up to the PC?


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[alokeprasad]

Re: mixing appleID, iCloudID, iTunesMatchID, PhotoSyncID, AppleStoreID (what else...

Yes, but if your son knows the passcode, he can just disable it. You will need to be the only one to know the passcode and lock it in Restrictions in his settings. Does your son want all his photos automatically backed up to the PC?

Good point!!

 

[alokeprasad]

That is interesting. Eventually, how many devices am I allowed to have in my family, all sharing the same paid content?

 

[alokeprasad]

Thanks, by the way. It is starting to sink in. The Family Share features look very useful.

 

[alokeprasad]

Do all of you want to sync all your photos to each other? If so, why? I don't want all my wife's photos. She doesn't want all mine. We just iMessage photos to each other. The sync is for syncing photos from like your iPhone to your iPad. You guys need separate iCloud ID's. You will have many problems if you don't.

This way, photos from all devices gets backed up to one location. Easier to backup. archive etc.

 

[Ledsteplin]

That is interesting. Eventually, how many devices am I allowed to have in my family, all sharing the same paid content?

With the new system in iOS 8, the limit is 6. But I don't think there's a limit doing it like we do now. You can still add a 7th with one having the same iTunes Apple ID.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[Ledsteplin]

This way, photos from all devices gets backed up to one location. Easier to backup. archive etc.

Does that not run into privacy issues?


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[alokeprasad]

Yes, but so far, everyone has been on their best behavior
And I'm tracking my son because he is learning driving.

 

[alokeprasad]

I have one more Q: Currently, when my devices are using the same (my) AppleID for everything, are the iCloud backups storing different backup data sets for each device?
They are all signed up to the same AppleID ... Are they distinguished from each other?

 

[alokeprasad]

Use your current ID for iTunes, iTunes Match and AppStore.
Create a new AppleID for each family member. This will be used for iMessages, FaceTime, iCloud email if you want it, iCloud backups, etc.

Under this scenario (my AppleID for iTunes, iTunes Match and AppStore, different AppleID's for iMessages, FaceTime, iCloud email, iCloud backups), how should they set up the ITunes installs on their respective PC's that they sync to?

Should they "Authorize" their iTunes on their PC's with my AppleID? and sign in under their AppleID?
Or how?

 

[itsMohsinK]

Hey, Im having issue since I changed my phone, imessage is not recognizing my phone number its so weird it was working on iPhone 5s but now on iphone 6 its stuck on waiting for activation for days and then it says failed its weird like hell!!