The UK government is facing a fresh legal battle with Apple after reportedly filing a complaint with the country's Investigatory Powers Tribunal in July 2026. The dispute centers on the UK's use of a "technical capability notice" demanding backdoor access to iCloud data. In 2024, the UK rewrote its laws to secretly compel Apple to assist in surveillance of iPhone users worldwide.

Following US pressure, the UK temporarily backed down but attempted again in October 2025. Apple argues that any backdoor weakens iPhone security for all users, while the UK maintains such measures do not imperil privacy. The move also led Apple to disable Advanced Data Protection end-to-end encryption for UK users.

Human rights group Privacy International also filed a related complaint. Neither Apple nor the UK Home Office is permitted to comment publicly. The timeline for a ruling on Apple's latest filing remains unclear.