UK Competition Appeal Tribunal approves £3bn iCloud class action against Apple brought by consumer group Which?, alleging abuse of dominance in cloud storage

Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has approved a £3 billion ($4 billion) collective (class action-style) lawsuit against Apple, brought by consumer group Which?, over the company's iCloud storage service. Which? filed the claim in November 2024, arguing that Apple abused a dominant position in cloud storage services by 'trapping' users of iPhones and other Apple devices into its iCloud offering. The consumer group contends that Apple achieved this by technically restricting how certain files can be stored, tying iCloud to iOS devices, and deploying prompts and system design that steered users towards its own service — conduct which, it argues, weakened competition and drove up prices. Apple has denied the claims, stating that no customer is required to use iCloud and that UK customers have plenty of alternatives. The CAT's approval to proceed (known as a certification decision in collective proceedings) does not determine liability; it confirms that the claim meets the threshold for being heard as a collective action on behalf of UK consumers. The case will now move toward a full merits hearing. This follows a growing wave of tech-platform competition claims proceeding through the CAT, which has become the primary venue for collective proceedings under the UK's competition law framework.

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