iCloud+ Hide My Email addresses will remain on icloud.com (developer.apple.com)

Article summary

Apple has announced that iCloud+ Hide My Email addresses will remain on the icloud.com domain, reversing a previous decision to switch to a new domain. This change was made in response to community feedback. The company will, however, introduce a new domain, private.icloud.com, for new Sign in with Apple addresses. Existing addresses on privaterelay.appleid.com will continue to work without interruption.

Main themes

• Apple's domain switch decision
• Hide My Email feature
• Email address privacy
• Company direction and community feedback
• Domain naming and email address management
• User experience and limitations

What commenters say

• The initial decision to switch domains was likely due to a bug that allowed the revelation of hidden Apple accounts.
• Using a separate namespace is a universal fix for the bug, but it may not be effective in preventing email address leaks.
• The switch to a new domain would have made it easier for companies to block Hide My Email addresses, which could have led to unintended consequences.
• The decision to keep Hide My Email addresses on icloud.com may be seen as a victory for users who value the feature and do not want to see it compromised.
• Some commenters believe that Apple's reversal of the decision is a sign that the company is listening to the community, while others think it is a sign of the company's lack of direction.
• The use of icloud.com for both legitimate and hidden email addresses is seen as a typical Apple strategy that can hold users and other web services hostage.
• The inability to use a custom domain with Hide My Email is a limitation that can make it difficult for users to switch away from the service.