Ok agreed it is not a solution but since the functionality mentioned depended on the service Apple was providing, apart from telling the users that there is a problem with Apple or switching to an alternate service (not as easy as it sounds) during a crisis what other solution would you propose? Granted building a fallback into the design at the beginning would have been a better way to do things but I would forgive the OP not doing this since it is Apple they are dealing with and there is a certain expectation that your support tickets will be addressed.