14 DAY TRIAL // People close to Apple claim to have learned that boxed copies of MobileMe will be discontinued in favor of a digital-distribution, free download and service.
According to various reports, Apple has started notifying resellers that it has discontinued MobileMe retail boxes. The move marks Apple’s rumored entry into digital-only sales.
[admark=1]Checks with the company’s online store have revealed that Apple has removed boxed copies of MobileMe there as well.
Resellers have reportedly indicated that both the MobileMe Single User product and the MobileMe Family Pack have been declared "End of Life."
Apple is said to be planning an overhaul of MobileMe as well as turn it free, and has been rumored to be pursuing a cloud-based iTunes for music streaming.
The tech-giant’s North Carolina data center is expected to become operational soon, with Apple telling shareholders on February 23 that the server farm will be the ‘cloud’ of both MobileMe and iTunes.
Based on the findings of a prominent rumor source, Softpedia reported earlier this month that Apple appeared to be on track to completely phase out boxed software offerings, not just MobileMe.
Clues indicating this is the case have been floating around since January, when Apple launched a Mac App Store packing individual downloads for the applications comprising its iLife and iWork suites of applications.
The move benefits both consumers, who may want to download an individual application, rather than the whole suite, as well as Apple, who can now eliminate boxed retail copies of the suites.
Apple has also notified MobileMe users that the upgrade to the new Calendar service is going live on May 5. The new MobileMe Calendar is available for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Windows.
Packing an updated web app, MobileMe Calendar offers enhanced tables, which include redesigned day, week, and month views, as well as a new list view.