UK Court Clears £3 Billion iCloud Lawsuit Against Apple to Proceed

A £3 billion class-action lawsuit accusing Apple of breaching UK competition law through its iCloud practices has been cleared to move forward in court.



The UK consumer advocacy group Which? announced that it has secured a Collective Proceedings Order for its legal challenge against Apple. The procedural milestone gives the organization formal permission to pursue its £3 billion claim on behalf of roughly 40 million iPhone and iPad users across the country. The lawsuit was initially launched in late 2024 and targets Apple's iCloud storage practices and restrictions on third-party cloud backup alternatives, marking a significant antitrust test for the company.


The dispute centers on how Apple handles data backups on its mobile devices. Which? alleges that Apple steers users toward iCloud because third-party providers cannot offer full-device backups on iPhone and iPad. Because alternative services cannot fully replicate iPhone and iPad backups, the consumer group argues that Apple effectively holds a dominant position in this segment of the cloud storage market. Which? claims this lack of competition allows Apple to charge higher prices for storage upgrades once users exceed the standard 5GB of free space included with every Apple Account.

The claim also notes that Apple's cloud storage service is believed to rely in part on infrastructure operated by Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to store encrypted user data. Which? argues that despite relying on outside infrastructure behind the scenes, Apple does not allow users to back up all device data through competing services.

With the claim now certified to proceed, the next phase of the litigation will require Apple to formally file its defense. The lawsuit operates on an opt-out basis for anyone who used iCloud services at any point between November 8, 2018, and June 8, 2026, provided they were living in the UK on that date. Eligible users will be automatically included in the class unless they notify Which? by October 8, 2026. Individuals who were living outside the UK on June 8, 2026, but used iCloud during the covered period can choose to opt in through the claim website.

Which? estimates that Apple could owe affected consumers around £77 each if the claim succeeds. The consumer group is urging Apple to settle the claim without further litigation and to allow iPhone and iPad users greater choice in cloud storage providers. Apple has said it rejects any suggestion that its iCloud practices are anticompetitive and will vigorously defend the legal action in court.