London London. British consumer group Which? Apple on Thursday will launch legal action against Apple, including seeking up to 3 billion pounds (roughly Rs. 32,182 crores) in compensation, alleging that the tech giant breached competition law by effectively locking out millions of its customers to its iCloud service. . Which? Said that Apple encouraged its users to sign up to iCloud to store photos, videos and other data, while making it difficult to use alternative providers.
It said customers had to pay for the service when their data exceeded the free 5GB limit. Which? It said consumers were charged up to 13.36 pounds ($16.98) more through their monthly iCloud subscriptions this year due to a lack of competition.
Apple said in a statement that its customers were not required to use iCloud and that many used third-party alternatives. It said, “We reject any suggestion that our iCloud practices are anti-competitive and will vigorously defend any legal claims.” However, Apple does not allow users to back up device data to third-party services. Nearly 40 million Apple customers in the UK who have received iCloud services over the past nine years may be entitled to a payout if the claim is successful. Can, Which? Said.
Its chief executive Annabel Holt said the group believes Apple customers should be reimbursed around £3 billion because the tech giant imposed its iCloud services on customers. “Taking this legal action means we can help consumers get the redress they are due, prevent similar behavior in the future and create a better, more competitive market,” he said.
Which? Said it would file a claim before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
Apple is facing a similar lawsuit in the US for its alleged illegal monopoly on the cloud storage market. The iPhone maker asked the judge to dismiss the case, saying its device is “one of the most innovative and consumer-friendly products ever created.”
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