Apple is embroiled in a lawsuit alleging monopolization of the cloud storage market on its devices, leading to inflated consumer prices.
The lawsuit filed in San Jose, California’s federal court asserts Apple compels users towards its iCloud service for specific app data and settings backup, thereby stifling competition.
The lawsuit claims Apple’s dominance in the multi-billion-dollar mobile device cloud storage sector is an effort to limit market competition. Apple has yet to comment on these allegations.
The lawsuit originates from a Los Angeles consumer, currently on a $2.99 monthly iCloud plan, represented by the law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro. This case aims to embody a national class comprising millions who have subscribed to iCloud storage.
iCloud offers 5 gigabytes of storage for free, with subsequent charges based on storage capacity. The suit accuses Apple of unlawfully bundling its devices with cloud storage, seeking damages potentially tripled under U.S. antitrust laws.
This lawsuit joins other antitrust legal challenges Apple faces in California and beyond, targeting practices related to its App Store and Apple Pay services.
