Apple Confirms iCloud Subscription Tier Cancelation Emails Were Sent in Error

[MacRumors]

Apple on Saturday emailed some iCloud users to apologize for a bug that caused them to receive an email earlier this week stating their paid storage subscription plan had been canceled.

The emails went out to predominantly 50GB iCloud subscribers on Wednesday, causing some MacRumors readers to speculate that Apple was discontinuing the storage tier completely. Options to purchase some of the plans through macOS and iOS were also reportedly affected.

However, as predicted, the emails were sent in error. Apple has now followed up the errant message to clarify that it was a mistake and that there has been no change to users' subscription plans.

"You recently received an email incorrectly stating that your iCloud storage plan has been discontinued," the email read. "Your 50 GB iCloud storage plan is not affected and will continue to renew automatically.

"We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any questions, please contact us."

(Via AppleInsider.)



Article Link: Apple Confirms iCloud Subscription Tier Cancelation Emails Were Sent in Error

 

[b3ats]

They should have offered a free month as a gesture of goodwill. I can imagine it prompted a few phone calls and unnecessary confusion / hassle amongst the affected customers.

 

[noraa]

They should have offered a free month as a gesture of goodwill. I can imagine it prompted a few phone calls and unnecessary confusion / hassle amongst the affected customers.

Considering the 50gb tier is only $.99/month, a few month would seem like a pretty empty gesture...

 

[dominiongamma]

Took them days to respond to this?

 

[timmyh]

I'm just happy the 79p UK price for 50GB hasn't been hiked to £1 like everything on the App Store.

 

[now i see it]

Maybe both the emails are mistakes, or phoney, or maybe the second one is wrong & the first one was right. Or maybe...

 

[Brenster]

My wife revived one of these emails, she's using the 50GB tier for hosting her photo collection.

Clarification from Apple is fine. Of all the things we could be getting out of shape about, this is pretty low down. Should this have happened? No. But no Ines access was cancelled or torn down so I think we're all good.

 

[scottishwildcat]

Took them days to respond to this?

Due diligence first, apologies afterwards. Pretty much how any big business would do it.

 

[dominiongamma]

Due diligence first, apologies afterwards. Pretty much how any big business would do it.

They should know if they were implementing new plans or it was an error.

 

[peterjames.org]

Maybe they'll offer iCloud storage family share plans at WWDC? To go along with iTunes Store and Apple Music family shares. Bundle in their long rumored OTA tv/movie service and pro apps and I'd gladly give Apple $100 a month for all of it!

 

[TMRJIJ]

They should have offered a free month as a gesture of goodwill. I can imagine it prompted a few phone calls and unnecessary confusion / hassle amongst the affected customers.

Why? It only happened for a few hours. No important files were deleted. Nothing broken. I don't understand why people demand retribution for small things like this. I saw way too many people asking for free months of Netflix a while ago when they had server issues for less than five hours. #1stworldproblems

 

[rd9082]

I hope this means they are planning on making 50GB the new free standard

 

[Shirasaki]

I hope this means they are planning on making 50GB the new free standard

No this would likely never happen.

 

[69650]

Very poor customer service Apple.

 

[Defthand]

Siri’s cousin probably works in the Billing department.

 

[Kaibelf]

They should have offered a free month as a gesture of goodwill. I can imagine it prompted a few phone calls and unnecessary confusion / hassle amongst the affected customers.

No one was cut off from their data. Not everything demands free stuff.

 

[KoolAid-Drink]

No this would likely never happen.

Or it would... in 2025-2030, when 50GB holds the equivalent to what 5GB today does.

 

[Kaibelf]

Very poor customer service Apple.

Why? Because they didn't give you free services when it wasn't interrupted in the first place? Perhaps you can set up a class action lawsuit because an email came.

 

[furi0usbee]

Why? It only happened for a few hours. No important files were deleted. Nothing broken. I don't understand why people demand retribution for small things like this. I saw way too many people asking for free months of Netflix a while ago when they had server issues for less than five hours. #1stworldproblems

Oh, I don't know.... a gesture of good will towards loyal customers. Apple talks a great game, but they are really lacking when it comes to the good will of their corporate speak. Something that would be a round to a 9th decimal digit is all, but would have been something for loyalty.

 

[Shirasaki]

Or it would... in 2025-2030, when 50GB holds the equivalent to what 5GB today does.

Then next question: would apple last that long until even 2020?
Plus there are multiple due predictions and promises happen at that year.
My guess is that would never happen, still. Give away 5GB for free and multiply it by 5 million. That is 5PB, or 5000TB, quite a lot.

 

[bsegel]

It wasn't just the 50GB users, I'm a 1TB user and I got the cancelation notices as well.

No apology from apple today though.

 

[Paddle1]

Isn't it cancellation not cancelation?

Edit: It's a variant apparently but I'm getting a red underline.

Anyway hopefully this didn't cause too much trouble for anyone.

 

[Ashton Cofer]

I received this email and didn't get the apology until a couple days later - AFTER I had already gone through the trouble trying to fix it. Wish they had offered some compensation for the users affected.

 

[MikeFromTexas]

This is the kind of moronic nonsense that happens to organizations that get very large, unwieldy, and weighted down by their own vastness. No compensation was Required because nothing actually happened other than FUD.

Of course such an email should never have been sent. But brown stuff happens. What is really telling is how long it took them to announce that it was a mistake. Pure bureaucratic inertia and CYA.

VP #1 Are we cancelling the 50gb tier?
VP #2 Not that I know. Should we issue a denial?
VP #1Maybe we should check with VP #3 first?
VP#2 OK
.
.
.
.
.
VP # 42 of course we aren't cancelling it. That email is a stupid mistake. We will issue a correction. But first I am going to check with Tim.

 

[2499723]

Apple at WWDC: 'We're cancelling the 50GB tier. We find our users enjoy paying more for less.'