British consumer protection group Which? has filed a £3 billion lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of charging a high price for its iCloud service for iOS users. If the lawsuit is successful, around 40 million UK users could receive compensation.
Group Which? claims that Apple violated UK antitrust laws by artificially connecting iOS users to the iCloud cloud service. The key method was iCloud’s offering to save photos, videos and data, making it difficult to use alternatives. Free storage is limited to 5 GB, after which users are forced to pay for a subscription, the cost of which will increase to 29% in 2023.
The lawsuit states that such actions limit competition and deprive consumers of real choice. The leader of Which? Annabelle Hoult said that “Apple should return the money to consumers and give them the right to choose.”
On average, users can be rewarded around £70 depending on how long they use the service. If the case is won, it will not only provide compensation to consumers, but also force Apple and other market participants to pursue more transparent and competitive policies.