Apple Triumphs Again: Monopoly Lawsuit Over iCloud Storage Costs Tossed Out

Summary A recent lawsuit against Apple, alleging the company uses its monopoly power to force users into paying more for iCloud storage, has been dismissed by US District Judge Eumi Lee. The class-action suit, filed in March 2024, claimed that Apple violated antitrust laws by providing only 5GB of free storage and coercing users into purchasing additional space. However, Judge Lee ruled that Apple did not violate federal or state antitrust laws, as users are not required to purchase iCloud storage and the case did not demonstrate that Apple is a monopoly. Apple defended its use of iCloud for syncing and security features, which third-party rivals cannot replace. The plaintiffs plan to file an amended lawsuit to address the judge's criticisms. Additionally, a similar case in the UK seeks a $4 billion payout for users.