Chicago (IL) - Last week, Apple offered customers that were hit with performance issues of the fancy new service one month of free service. This week, the company follows up and offers another free month to those affected by outrageous preauthorization charges for free trial accounts. It appears that MobileMe is finally back on track.

It was anything but a perfect launch for MobileMe. It took the company quite some time to acknowledge service problems and actually apologize for what the company called a "rocky service launch." The company will reimburse users with a month of free service for initial service performance problems and will add another month for users who were affected by excessive preauthorization charges for free trial accounts.

Unlike free .Mac accounts, MobileMe trial accounts require valid credit card details that enable Apple to check a user’s identity and prevent malicious users from using free accounts for spamming. As we learned, the credit card is verified by placing a temporary preauthorizing $1 charge that appears on the statement and becomes void before next statement.

However, an issue in the payment processing system caused Apple to authorize some European trial users with 99 Euro or even up to 121 GBP. Worst hit were those users who provided a debit card instead of credit card, since the debit card preauthorization withdraws "real money" from a bank account right away. In its first email to the affected customers Apple acknowledged that "an issue caused an incorrect temporary hold when certain new accounts were created."

Over the past weekend, Apple sent a second email to inform customers it has resolved the issue. Those who wish to create a trial account can now provide their credit card details during the account creation without being hit by a preauthorization charge higher than $1. "Apple has identified and resolved an issue that caused an incorrect, temporary authorization hold of 121 GBP to be placed on your credit or debit card when your MobileMe trial account was created. We have addressed the issue and want to apologize for any inconvenience," Apple’s email states.

"Typically when you create a new trial account, your credit or debit card is verified by authorizing a small charge (equivalent to USD $1). Unfortunately, an error caused the incorrect amount to be preauthorized for your card. Be assured that this is not a charge, but only an authorization hold. The hold is released by the card-issuing bank after a predetermined period, usually between a week and a month. Where possible, Apple is working to have these holds removed earlier," Apple explained.

To back up its apology, Apple is giving away another free month of service, in addition to the first 30-day extension offered last week. If you created your MobileMe trial account on or before July 15, 2008 7:00 PM PDT and you were preauthorized with an amount higher than $1, you are now looking to a total of 120 days of free service: 60 days included in the trial plus two 30-day extensions. In the case you converted your trial account to full membership, the 30-day extensions will be added to your paid membership. Apple says that "Accounts" tab of the MobileMe web interface will reflect these changes "in the coming weeks."