Apple is accused in a new proposed class action lawsuit of unlawfully monopolizing the market for iCloud storage on its mobile devices, forcing the company’s customers to pay what plaintiffs claim are artificially high prices.
Reuters:
The proposed class action lawsuit, filed on Friday in San Jose, California federal court, said Apple “coerces” its customers into using the company’s iCloud service for storing and backing up certain “restricted” app data and device setting files.
The named plaintiff, a Los Angeles resident, said she was paying $2.99 monthly for an iCloud storage plan. Her lawyers at the class action firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro seek to represent a nationwide class of at least tens of millions of consumers who purchased iCloud storage plans.
Apple’s iCloud storage monthly subscription is free for up to 5 gigabytes of data and then ranges in price according to size.
The lawsuit said Apple has unlawfully “tied” two distinct products, its mobile devices and cloud storage. It is seeking unspecified damages that could be tripled under federal antitrust law.
MacDailyNews Take: As with Macs, iPhones and iPads work with third-party online storage services such as Box, Dropbox, One Drive, Google Drive etc. Apple’s Files file management app for iPhones and iPads allows users to browse local files stored within apps, including files stored in third-party cloud storage services including Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, etc.
Please help support MacDailyNews. Click or tap here to support our independent tech blog. Thank you!
Support MacDailyNews at no extra cost to you by using this link to shop at Amazon.
Maybe this bag-of-shit law firm, coerced the plaintiff in filing this frivolous lawsuit?
While I understand MDN’s point of having many options for storing files, I think they missed the part about the type of files that is in dispute. I believe the case is focusing on “storing and backing up certain “restricted” app data and device setting files.”
…and those are free for 5GB. Nobody fills 5GB with that kind of file.
Yes, that’s true. I believe the suit is filed on the grounds that there is no option to store those types of files outside iCloud. Even the old iTunes allowed you to store your library on your own hardware and have backups on iCloud.
I been thinking about filing a class action suit because my iPhone won’t lay eggs
These days, your suit may be considered plausible…if your phone imagines it can.
Very strange lawsuit. One doesn’t need to use iCloud – it is a choice. One doesn’t even need an Apple ID – that too is a choice.
I predict this lawsuit will be thrown out with extreme prejudice.
Wrong. If I want to backup my iPhone data (all of it), I can only do it with icloud, which over time will push me past 5GB. Stop drinking the Apple koolaid. They’re doing everything to squeeze services revenue now without CHOICE because the h/w side is slowing (especially iPhone!)
If you choose you can back up your phone to your computer.
Including the “certain “restricted” app data and device setting files” that is the point of the suit?