🔗 Share this article

Approximately thirty million people in the UK who bought an Apple Inc. or Samsung Electronics handset from the year 2015 to the year 2024 could be entitled to around 17 pounds per person in the event that a customer watchdog prevails in its lawsuit against the US tech giant Qualcomm.

Court Case Begins Today

The campaign is bringing the tech giant to the specialized court in London this week.

The case involving the watchdog and Qualcomm is anticipated to continue for over a month.

The body is claiming the tech firm of anti-competitive practices.

The group asserts that the company pressured Apple and Samsung to pay high fees and royalty payments for necessary mobile hardware, which then raised the price of those devices for consumers.

Key Points the Case Will Examine

The trial commencing on Monday will focus on whether Qualcomm had control and, if proven, whether it abused a leading role.

In the event that the advocacy organization is successful, there will be a second stage seeking £480 million from the tech firm, to be divided between an estimated twenty-nine million British smartphone users involved.

The consumer group is claiming compensation for all eligible Apple Inc. and Samsung smartphones acquired between October 1, 2015 and January 9, 2024.

The organization states this would almost certainly amount at about seventeen pounds per person.

Past Allegations and The Firm's Position

Qualcomm has previously claimed the legal action has "no foundation".

A comparable legal action against the tech giant is in progress in the Canadian courts, and the corporation has also earlier been sanctioned by the EU for anti-competitive violations.

The Federal Trade Commission in the America sued the firm for unfair practices in the way it sold rights to its innovations back in 2017, but had its legal action thrown out in the year 2020.

Impact of the Legal Action

The head of the organization commented: "This legal action is a significant event. It illustrates how the collective strength of buyers - supported by us - can be used to hold the largest corporations to answer when they abuse their leading role."

The firm is one of the leading manufacturers of handset semiconductors and has faced claims about anti-competitive behaviour previously.

• Eligible devices include Apple and Samsung models bought between October 2015 and January 2024.
• The claimed amount requested is 480 million pounds.
• Individual compensation is projected to be about seventeen pounds.
• The trial is proceeding at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London.