British Consumer Rights Group Sues Apple For Alleged Illegal Monopoly ICloud

Which?, leading the lawsuit against Apple over Apple's dominance in cloud services (photo: x @gncs974)

JAKARTA - British consumer rights group, Which?, led a lawsuit against Apple over Apple's dominance in cloud services on iPhone and iPad devices. The lawsuit states that Apple forces iOS device users to buy iCloud storage because it does not allow other cloud services to be in-depth integrated with the system for data backups. Apple stated that it rejects all allegations that iCloud practices are anticompetitive.

The lawsuit asks for compensation of around 70 pounds per individual, although this figure could change significantly after the case goes to court or if a peace deal is reached. This case also has the potential to be completely rejected. Details regarding this lawsuit can be found in cloudclaim.co.uk.

Which? argues that Apple abuses its position on the market by engaging in illegal practices, effectively tying iCloud subscriptions with the use of iPhone and iPad.

They stated that Apple prioritizes iCloud over other cloud storage services, thus preventing users from switching from iCloud and allowing Apple to set a higher price for iCloud compared to the price it would impose if there was more competition.

You can be the plaintiff in this lawsuit if you have used iOS devices with iCloud after October 2015 and lived in the UK. Which? estimates around 40 million people are eligible, with a total estimated payment of around 3 billion pounds (IDR 60 trillion), based on compensation of 70 pounds per person.

If this lawsuit is won by Which?, the plaintiffs will be able to file a claim and accept their share of payment. However, this process could take years before the final decision is reached.

A similar lawsuit about the dominance of iCloud Apple is also being processed in US courts.

In its response, Apple made a statement to TechCrunch: "Apple believes in providing our customers with options. Our users are not required to use iCloud, and many rely on various third-party alternatives for data storage. In addition, we are working hard to facilitate data transfer to both iCloud and other services. We reject all allegations that our iCloud practice is anticompetitive and will persistently defend against any legal claims."