Are you seeing an unexpected iCloud storage boost to 25GB... until 2050?

It's either our birthdays come early or a glitch that will lead to a lot of disappointment, but a ton of people over the last 24 hours are seeing their iCloud storage listed at a complementary 25GB, valid until 2050. What makes this sudden swelling especially curious is the timing -- it's happening just as the free 25GB accounts of previously paid MobileMe users were set to expire.

To see if you've gotten the big bump, go to Settings > iCloud > Storage and Backup and look at Total Storage. To see the expiry date, tape on Change Storage Plan and enter your iCloud password.

Now not everyone is seeing the incredible increase. Even among our own writers, a couple of them aren't. Whether or not it's just former MobileMe users, or some other pattern, and whether or not it sticks or disappears as strangely as it started is unknown.

So lets Scooby Gang this -- check your settings, let us know what your iCloud storage says, and whether or not you previously paid for MobileMe.

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

63 Comments

I see it on my iPhone 5!
Says 2050 for me and I was a MobileMe user or years. Thankfully, my .mac email still works after all these transitions!
Same situation with me. Also, I have not received any storage downgrade warning notices from Apple. Perhaps it's because I am currently using less than 1 GB of space.
I was not a MobileMe user and my iCloud shows a 2013 expiration.
I've been a MobileMe user and had the free/complimentary 25 GB. However, when I went to check for the 2050 expiration date I found that my account is selected for the 20 GB/$40 per year. I did not select that and do not plan to pay for the service. It says my account will be changed automatically each year until expiration date of 9/30/2050 unless I cancel. Interestingly, when I set up my new iPhone 5, my user@me.com account would not work. I had to use my normal user name but with the @icloud.com domain. Never did I select to pay for iCloud service. Anyone else find that Apple automatically enrolled them into a payment plan for iCloud?
Check it again. It has your current plan listed as the $40 20gb plan. If you go to Downgrade options, likely the 5gb plan is selected as "when you are set to renew" with a date that WAS 9/30/12 until yesterday for most former MobileMe subscribers. I have used this 'Apple ID' since it was @itools.com. I had selected last week to downgrade to the $20/10gb extra plan, and that is the plan I will be charged for when my current plan (the 20gb plan free for now) expires on 9/30/50.
So does it mean I'll be charged the $40 each year until 2050? Or, I'm "paid up" until 2050? It's confusing because the current plan listed with a check mark is 20GB/$40/year but right underneath that it says "You will be charged immediately and each year until you change or cancel your plan". If I click the Downgrade Options, the 5GB/Free plan is checked but it will not let me save that--only the Cancel button is selectable. ??!!?? In any event, my credit card has not been charged so far.
No, you won't be charged. The way that it is showing now, you are "paid up" The "You will be charged..." part is if you choose to upgrade to the 50GB/$100 plan. If you notice, it looks like this Current Plan
20GB/$40.00/year with a check Choose and Upgrade...
50GB/$100.00/year Downgrade Options > Tapping that brings up Current Plan
20GB/$40.00/year
Currently Used: X GB Downgrade or Cancel Plan
Choose a different plan to use when your current plan ends on 09/30/50
5GB/Free
10GB/$20.00/year I had selected the 10GB plan earlier in the week, and that is what I will be moved to when the date is corrected. I don't know what they will do, but I anticipate they will give us a month or two extra for free (to be honest, I predict 1/31/13 will be the new date) due to this confusion.
Thank you for clarifying that for me! :)
No extra storage for me. Just 5GB and I was NOT a prior MobileMe user.
I didn't have MobileMe, purchased the 10 GB upgrade, and am still scheduled to pay again next year. So no upgrades for me, yet.
Yep. 2050. And I'm an old MobileMe customer.
sadly none for me- maybe its not a glitch and is only for prior mobile me customers...
Not a previous MobileMe user, and no upgrade for me :(
I got it!! Sweet!
old mobileme 60 day trial user that was upgraded to the 25gb plan. mine now shows 9/30/50 on my iphone 5.
Seeing it on an AT&T 4S in Atlanta, GA. Was a Mobile Me patron for 2 years. I still have my .me account. Also, I didn't upgrade and pay the $40. Checked my bank account and no $40 automatic charge as of yet. I went to upgrade yesterday and saw I had it. Just thought I'd already upgraded, but realized I hadn't yet. My 25 GB expires 09/30/2050 as well. Hope this sticks.
Hi- I'm seeing 2050 as well. I was indeed a MobileMe user.
I'm a mobile me user from the beginning. I'm seeing 2050 too. Maybe those with an iPad and iPhone (or multiple devices) backed up to iCloud are getting more?
Another downside to not being able to merge my Apple ID and MobileMe accounts. My Apple ID is tied to my iCloud, but my MobileMe is still out there in the ethers somewhere. No free upgrade for me…
I was a mobileme user and I have this too. I called just to make sure it wasn't a billing glitch that I would be charged for and it is a glitch, but one they're aware of and are in the process of fixing, much to our dismay. My boyfriend is also hit with this, and he is a former mobileme user as well.
previous mobileme user with paid storage. now, paid up through 2050..
Not a mobileme user and no upgrade :-(
Count me as a former Mobile Me customer with the upgrade expiration set to 9/30/50. Meant to go in and change last night but started watching Sunday Night football and forgot.
Yay!! I got it :)
It's on my iPhone and my iPad!
I was a mobileme subscriber from day 1, and mine currently shows the 9/30/50 expiration date. I think it is a glitch and will go away, but Apple should let all the mobileme users keep the extra 20GBs for taking away mobileme gallery (that was the main reason I had the account, and now I have to use smugmug).
I checked last night after this article went live, and yes, my iCloud account shows 25 GB and 2050 expiration. I have been a MobileMe user since it was iTools and free, so I am a looooong time subscriber. Maybe this is compensation for those years when it didn't "just work"? :) Probably not, but for now, that's some nice wishful thinking.
Mine still says 5 gigs... I'm waiting on my iPhone 5 tho and I'm still on 5.1.1 ios
just jumped in to my old .me account on the iPhone4 & yes indeed, it says I have 25GB until 30/09/50 (Australia).
If only I could merge my two apple accounts as I don't really use the .me one any more for iCloud...
Frak, I wish I'd have signed up for the 60 day MobileMe trial on my current AppleID, at least I don't think I did? I know I signed up for it somewhere. Maybe it was on this AppleID. Regardless, I see my standard option, no extras, same old lame expiry date. I can't imagine this is intentional, and I wouldn't get too comfortable with the expiry, Apple may be nice, but I don't think they're willing to give away that much money. Think about the costs of that, $40/year for every ex MM customer, MobileMe, not model mayhem, though I think they more than deserve the extra cloud storage ;), it'd be crazy.
Yep I have the same thing on my iPhone 4S.. and I was a previous Mobileme user..
Have it on my iPhone 5 and I am a previous MobileMe user.
Yep, long time .Mac user, 20GB addon through 30 Sept 2050.
YYYYYYEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!! i had mobile me and im on I5 just incase anyone cared
!please stick!
I used to have MobileMe but I've never backed up any storage on iCloud.. Would anybody be kind enough to walk me through the process of checking to see if I can get the free 25GB?
wasn't a mobile me user. still showing the 15gb i paid for.....
Just the free 5GB here, on a 4S. At least I won't be disappointed when Apple figures it out...
I was a mobile me user, and have no upgrade listed.......
Nope, mine was not upgraded, and I was not a MobileMe customer.
Unfortunately I still have 5GB :0( I was a MobileMe user but a very, very, very long time ago.
I am a former MobileMe user who had the complimentary extra 1 year storage. The 20GB @ $40/year option is what shows up. I chose the 5GB free version a few weeks ago to avoid being charged...
Former MobileMe user and I'm showing an expiration of 2050 on my account. :-)
No Dice. Only 5 Gb's here on iPhone 5 and New iPad. I never had MobileMe
I get the same thing; 25 GB storage which will be downgraded in 2050. I am currently only using 2 GB since I was expecting the auto-downgrade this past weekend. This on a iPhone 4S upgraded to iOS 6. I was a MobileMe customer for about 3 years (got it for an iPod touch 3rd gen) and had the primary account for a family package, which was renewed about a month before they announced the MobileMe-to-iCloud changeover. It will be interesting to see what happens to this.
I did pay for MobileMe and I see the same thing as your last screen shot. 20GB that will expire in 2050.
no. not for me. but i never had mobile me. This is my first iphone (a 4s).
2050 here. former MobileMe user
Again, I was a MobileMe user and have additional storage. Thank you apple!
Yep. I got the extra storage as well until 2050! I was a MobileMe user as well!
I was a Mobile Me user and showing the 9/30/2050 expiration date. Hope to get some official word on this soon. But I doubt if I ever will come close to using 5gig back up on iCloud,
Btw it's my birthday today and I see it in my iphone & ipad? Please try to find out if this is some kind of "error" or if apple i generous with the old .mac and mobileMe users
I've been an Apple cloud user since the iTools days in '99 - My account info says: “You will be downgraded to the free storage plan when your 20 GB plan ends on 09/30/50” When I check it on my MacBook Pro.
But my iPhone says I'm on a $40/yr. 20 GB plan and that "You will be charged immediately and each year until you change or cancel your plan."
I'd really like to know if/when and how much Apple plans to charge me!
Mine got bumped up but I figured it was because I paid for me for years.
I was a MobileMe customer and I got 25GB until 2050. On the other hand my wife was not a MobileMe customer and she only got 5GB. So paying that enormous amount year after year for MobileMe finally pays me back. Thanks Apple...
Former MobileMe customer and I'm seeing 25GB until 2050.
I have 2 iCloud accounts. The one under my iTunes ID that has all of my app purchases didn't get the upgrade in expiry to 2050, however my other iCloud account that was previously a .mac and MobileMe account did get the free upgrade.
I'm happy for the free extension, especially for that length of time. However, it would be good to be able to merge my accounts since the iTunes ID is my gmail account and I would like to add that under the iCloud account as an email address for friends to iMessage or FaceTime me, but I cannot since it is 'already used'.
I got it too on my iPhone 5
I was also a MobileMe customer & got the 2050 date. I wonder when there will be some kind of official word- until then, it seems just a curiosity, although I could imagine some blowback if it were returned to normal. Who knows?
Another blog site has reported that Apple indicates that the 2050 date is a "glitch". Hope that is wrong because I'm also showing I have the extra storage until 2050.
I am a former paid mobileme account person, I got the email message a week or two back, I did nothing and then forgot about it. I too have the 25 gb and 2050 expiration. I sure hope it is true..... I could use the break.
Starting in 2007, I was a .mac subscriber when converted into MobileMe. When I set up my iPhone 5, my me.com username would not work. I signed into iCloud using my .mac address on my iDevices. I have I have not received any storage downgrade warning notices from Apple. My iTunes account that I use for one of my iCloud accounts didn't get the upgrade that expires in 2050, however my other iCloud account that was previously a .mac and MobileMe account did get the free upgrade.
Apple have resolved this. I'm guessing all former mobileme subscribers will by now have received an email saying their extra free storage has been extended a year. See http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5527 So, my 2050 expiration has been replaced by 2013. If I don't resubscribe in Sep 2013, my 25GB goes down to 5GB. Mind you, you'd think the renewal rate will have gone down by then. Or, more likely, they'll up the amount of storage.

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