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A class action complaint filed against Apple on Friday in the northern California court has accused the company of creating unfair conditions to ensure iCloud remains the dominant cloud storage choice for its devices, according to <\/em><\/a>. By placing \u201csurgical technological restraints\u201d on the types of files other cloud providers can host, Apple has made it so only iCloud can offer Apple device users full-service storage, the complaint argues. According to the complaint, this has also allowed Apple to charge higher fees in the absence of \u201cany real threat to iCloud\u2019s dominance.\u201d<\/p>\n The proposed class, represented by Hagens Berman, would cover tens of millions of customers in the US, Bloomberg Law <\/em>notes. While iPhone and iPad users do have the option to store certain types of files with non-Apple cloud storage providers, there are some things \u2014 including app data and device settings \u2014 that only iCloud has permission to host. This leaves users to choose either the \u201cunattractive\u201d option of juggling multiple cloud storage accounts to fully cover their backup needs, or iCloud\u2019s full-service convenience. The complaint argues that Apple\u2019s restrictions are arbitrary and work to stifle competition.<\/p>\n Apple \u201cdoes not dominate because it built a superior cloud-storage product,\u201d the complaint states. \u201cFrom a security and functionality standpoint, iCloud is no better (and often inferior) to other cloud storage platforms. Instead, Apple has achieved market dominance by rigging the competitive playing field so that only iCloud can win.\u201d The case was only just filed and hasn\u2019t yet been granted class action status, but anyone who thinks they may be eligible to get in on it can fill out a form on the <\/a> to find out more information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n