Apple has successfully fended off a lawsuit accusing it of monopolizing digital storage, at least for now. A U.S. District Judge in California ruled that the claims against the company didn’t hold up under federal or state antitrust laws—but left the door open for consumers to try again with a revised complaint.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2024, argued that Apple effectively forced users into paying for iCloud by limiting their ability to back up certain core files elsewhere. The case was brought by a Los Angeles resident paying $2.99 a month for iCloud storage, with lawyers hoping to represent millions of Apple users nationwide.
Apple has denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that consumers are not required to purchase its cloud storage. The judge agreed, stating there was no evidence that Apple held monopoly power in the market. Apple also defended its policy of restricting third-party storage for device settings and critical data, saying it was a security measure rather than an anti-competitive tactic.
While Apple dodged the lawsuit for now, the legal battle isn’t over. The plaintiffs’ attorneys plan to revise their arguments and refile the case.
