Apple is set to retire the term Apple ID and present Apple Account as its replacement. This change will come with the launch of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and watchOS 11 this fall. Why? So that the rebranding can bring a consistent sign-in experience across all Apple services and devices, probably.
After some heavy research, I failed to find out when Apple ID actually came into existence, but from what I could find out, Apple ID was first introduced in 2000 as part of their iTools service. iTools was a suite of internet services for Mac users, which later evolved into .Mac (Dot Mac), then MobileMe, and eventually became iCloud.
The transition from Apple ID to Apple Account is purely and only a change in terminology, with no functional alterations to how users access Apple services. The Apple Account will continue to serve as the personal account for accessing services like the App Store, iCloud, Messages, and more, using the same credentials as before.
Apple fans, inform your family and friends about the update to prevent misunderstandings. Users should be cautious of potential phishing schemes that might exploit confusion during this transition. It’s important to note that “Apple Account” is simply the new name for what was previously known as “Apple ID.”
More here.