The complaint suggests that the iPhone maker has rigged a monopoly for its various iOS devices
A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed in a northern California court against Apple regarding the way it has established and is maintaining its cloud storage choice for its iOS-based devices, according to a recent Bloomberg Law report.
The complaint was filed accusing the iPhone maker of unfair conditions
The report described the class action complaint as accusing Apple of establishing an unfair environment in which it ensures that iCloud remains the main cloud storage option for users of its
The complaint accuses the tech giant of placing “surgical technological restraints” on the kinds of files that can be hosted by other cloud providers. As such, it states that Apple has created an environment in which only iCloud can provide users of iOS-based devices with full-service storage. The complaint goes on to say that by doing this, it’s made it possible for Apple to charge the highest fees for this type of service, as there isn’t “any real threat to iCloud’s dominance.”
Tens of millions of customers in the United States would be covered by this complaint
According to the report, the proposed class action lawsuit against Apple cloud storage would cover tens of millions of customers in the United States. They would be represented by Hagens Berman.
Though both iPhone and iPad users do have the option of storing certain file types with cloud storage providers other than Apple’s official iCloud, there are certain other file types – such as device settings and app data – for which iCloud is the only host with permission.
As a result, users must either use multiple different account options from multiple providers to backup their files, app data and device settings – an option the complaint refers to as “unattractive” – or they can turn to iCloud for the only full-service convenience.
According to the complaint, the restrictions Apple has placed on the backup options are arbitrary, and function as a way to restrict competition.
The iPhone maker “does not dominate because it built a superior cloud-storage product,” reads the proposed class action. “From a security and functionality standpoint, iCloud is no better (and often inferior) to other cloud storage platforms. Instead, Apple has achieved market dominance by rigging the competitive playing field so that only iCloud can win.”
The complaint has yet to be granted official class action lawsuit status as it has only just recently been filed. That said, the Hans Berman website is already hosting a form to allow anyone who believes that they are eligible to participate to obtain more information.
