Millions of Apple users in the UK could be entitled to up to £77 each after the consumer group Which? overcame a significant legal obstacle in its £3bn fight against the tech giant. The Competition Appeal Tribunal granted Which? a Collective Proceedings Order, allowing the claim to proceed on an opt-out basis. Which? will represent as many as 39.7 million UK iCloud users in a landmark case accusing Apple of anti-competitive tactics that tied customers to its cloud storage service.
Which? contends that Apple abused its dominant market position by favouring iCloud and making it increasingly difficult for users to switch to competing providers. The organisation claims these practices trapped consumers within Apple's ecosystem, stifled competition and allowed the company to levy higher subscription charges than would otherwise have been justified.
“Which? cleared to represent 39.7m UK iCloud users in £3bn claim; payouts up to £77 each.”
Should the claim succeed, those affected could receive payouts of up to £77 each, according to Which?. Anyone who used iCloud between 8 November 2018 and 8 June 2026 and was residing in the UK on 8 June this year will be automatically included unless they opt out. Those living abroad on that date but who used iCloud during the relevant period can opt in.
"Which? wants to make clear that no company, no matter how powerful, can get away with abusing its position," said Anabel Hoult, chief executive of Which?. "The granting of the CPO means we're one step closer to getting consumers the redress we believe they are owed from Apple and this should send a strong message to any other companies using anti-competitive tactics."
The legal challenge was initially launched in November 2024 and is seeking approximately £3bn in compensation on behalf of consumers. Which? also claims that Apple bundled iCloud services with its devices in a manner that made switching providers more difficult. The watchdog maintains that these practices led to customers paying inflated prices for cloud storage subscriptions.