UK Court Approves £3 Billion Apple Lawsuit

Competition Appeal Tribunal in the UK has approved a £3 billion class action lawsuit against Apple over its iCloud service. The court allowed consumer group Which? to proceed with a claim on behalf of nearly 40 million users across the country.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple abused its dominant position and breached UK competition law by trapping users into using iCloud. The group argued that Apple steered iOS users towards its own cloud storage service and limited visibility of alternative providers, leading to rip-off prices and lower levels of free storage. The case is expected to go to trial in 2028 after the UK court granted the group a Collective Proceedings Order (CPO), clearing the path for what could become one of the UK’s largest consumer tech claims.

At the centre of the dispute is Apple’s cloud storage model, in which users receive 5GB of free storage before being directed to paid tiers. Pricing then rises across multiple levels, from 99p per month for 50GB to £54.99 for 12TB in the UK. The consumer group argued this structure reflects a lack of competition, with users locked in once their devices become reliant on iCloud for photos, messages and device data backups. The claim, first filed in November 2024, will cover consumers living in the UK who used iCloud services between 8 November 2018 and 8 June 2026. Potential compensation is estimated at around £77 per user if it succeeds.

Which? CEO Anabel Hoult said that the group wants to make clear that no company, no matter how powerful, can get away with abusing its position. “The granting of the CPO means we’re one step closer to getting consumers the redress we believe they are owed from Apple. This should send a strong message to any other companies using anti-competitive tactics.”