The limitation of your Apple ID

IOS users who prefer purchasing their apps rather than get them for free breathed a major sigh of relief when Apple extended the App Store to Brunei along with 32 other countries last month.

It means no more buying iTunes gift cards at ridiculously marked-up prices in local stores, or purchasing them online and having to wait until it arrives in the mailbox so the shopping can begin.

But with the extension of the App Store to Brunei came several niggling issues, especially for long-time iOS users. Previously, a common method of purchasing apps was by registering an iTunes account in the US (or UK, whichever applicable) where users would commonly enter a bogus address for the required credit card billing details, or just use a random one.

In my case, I use the Brunei embassy's address in Washington (A free and easy way to get a US address is by registering for a hop.shop.go account, a company that helps non-US citizens shop on US-only online stores).

When the news broke, many users, especially the early adopters, were disappointed to find out they couldn't change the country store to Brunei without finishing the remaining credit balance. A check with AV Electronics, the sole Apple premium reseller in the country, confirmed that such users have no choice but to set up a new account to tie in with the Brunei App Store. E-mails sent to Apple inquiring if there is a workaround were unreturned.

One could argue that the iTunes Store is biased against users based on geographical location, but there are copyright issues at hand and Apple expects its Brunei-based customers to only buy from the Brunei App Store. However, in reality, this isn't happening. Not all apps in the US store are available in Brunei's, especially US-specific content and even some popular games. For example, as of press time, the Brunei App Store had 86,508 iPad-only apps, as opposed to the US App Store's 112,997.

Music, movies and TV shows are also unavailable in most stores. Other countries can only access the App Store, Podcasts and iTunesU. This arrangement limits non-US customers from getting US-only content, so users with a US account (and a large app library) would naturally want to retain it, forcing them to create a new account for the Brunei store and switching between the two every time when needed (think app updates).

Obvious hassles aside, having to use two accounts for one device comes off as very un-Apple-like. The fruit company is known for the ease of use of its products, and whatever policy it is enforcing on this matter certainly doesn't reflect its focus on user-friendliness and simplicity.

Another example how Apple needs to address the way Apple IDs are used in real life is the limitations they have when it comes to assigning them to a device or a computer. When you use Apple's new multi-device download feature, you will be limited to a total of 10 devices and computers, each authorised with the same Apple ID. However, once a device or computer has been assigned to an Apple ID, it cannot be reassigned for 90 days.

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) in a recent post, highlighted a blogger's encounter with the issue, saying the policy, which went into effect in June, "is bad news for anyone who shares an iPhone or other iOS device with a loved one and who switches around the Apple ID accordingly."

"At some point, Apple is going to have to start seriously re-evaluating how real life meets Apple ID accounts, in terms of separating data within a family. Some examples: keeping only kid-friendly material on certain devices, even when iCloud backups and data sharing are in force (also known as the 'cheating spouse outed by iCloud' scenario), joining data between adults (marriage and cohabitation), and when joint accounts need to be split (divorce and separation).

"For now, all authorisation decisions seem to be motivated more by rights management than day-to-day practicalities. This new policy indicates that Apple continues to be a little tone-deaf when it comes to human relationships and how people really use their iOS devices," said the TUAW report.The Brunei Times