Apple’s iCloud promo — image credit: Apple
Another lawsuit alleging that Apple uses its monopoly powers to force users to pay more for iCloud storage has been dismissed.
It’s now 14 years that Apple has been giving users just 5GB free iCloud storage space each, so it’s surely never going to increase that without some outside pressure. The latest of many attempts to apply such pressure, though, has failed.
Following its filing in March 2024, a class action suit over the amount and cost of iCloud storage has been dismissed. According to Reuters, US District Judge Eumi Lee in San Jose, California, threw out the case — but said the plaintiffs could file an amended version.
The original version of the suit alleged that Apple was violating antitrust laws by coercing users into using iCloud, then effectively making them pay to have adequate storage space on it. This case was a class-action one, whose plaintiffs believed they were representing at least tens of millions of iCloud users.
Judge Lee said, however, that Apple was not violating federal or state antitrust laws. Specifically, she said that users were not required to purchase iCloud storage, and that the case did not demonstrate that Apple is a monopoly.
“[If] anything, Apple’s allegedly high prices would incentivize rivals to increase production to take share from Apple,” said Judge Lee in her ruling.
The plaintiffs appear to have chiefly concentrated on how iCloud is used for storage, but the service has other key uses. It’s behind the syncing of photos, videos, and other user data, for instance, and third-party rivals can’t replace that.
Apple defending how it uses iCloud for syncing and for features such as restoring iPhones from backups. The company said that it used iCloud in this way in order to guarantee high levels of security and privacy.
Representatives for the plaintiffs in the case, Julianna Felix Gamboa et al v. Apple Inc., say that they intend to file an amended lawsuit to address the judge’s criticisms.
For the moment, then, Apple has won this case, but it may resume in a revised form. Whether it does or not, though, Apple is also facing a similar case in the UK, where a consumer group wants a $4 billion payout for users.
