Apple faces US$3.8 bn lawsuit over alleged iCloud monopoly

UK consumer group "Which?" has filed a lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of monopolistic practices related to its iCloud storage service. The claim seeks £3 billion (approximately US$3.8 billion) in compensation, alleging that Apple forces consumers to use iCloud for data storage, thereby violating competition laws.

According to Which?, Apple exploits its dominant market position by requiring users to rely on iCloud for storing photos, messages, and other data, while preventing them from using alternative cloud storage options. The group also claims that Apple overcharges for iCloud subscriptions, offering only 5GB of free storage and imposing fees for additional capacity.

The lawsuit has been submitted to the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal, with the consumer group demanding compensation for iCloud users dating back to Oct. 2015. 

Apple responded by denying allegations of anti-competitive behavior, stating that users are not required to use iCloud and that the company is committed to facilitating data transfer across services. 

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