Italy's competition authority opened a probe into Apple over iCloud. It says Apple denies third‑party cloud providers the same OS access for full device backups on iOS and iPadOS, violating the EU Digital Markets Act. The inquiry follows a broader EU push to enforce the Act against gatekeeper platforms. Findings will be forwarded to the European Commission for possible enforcement actions, which could levy fines.

The regulator cited evidence that services such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive cannot use iOS and iPadOS backup APIs that iCloud enjoys, preventing users from storing a complete snapshot with an alternative provider. Apple recently stalled rollout of its Siri AI in the EU after regulators accused it of refusing to cooperate on privacy‑preserving solutions, underscoring a growing friction between the firm and European overseers.

If the EU Commission enforces the probe’s conclusions, Apple could face penalties running into hundreds of millions and be forced to open iOS and iPadOS backup functions to rivals. Such a mandate would give Android‑centric cloud services a foothold on Apple devices, reshaping how users back up data and intensifying competition in the cloud storage market and could reshape contract terms with enterprise customers.