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Close to 30 million people in the UK who bought an Apple and/or Samsung smartphone between 2015 and the year 2024 might be eligible to around seventeen pounds each in the event that a consumer advocacy organization is successful in its lawsuit against the US technology firm Qualcomm.

Legal Action Starts This Week

The advocacy organization is taking the tech giant to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London this week.

The legal proceedings between the advocacy organization and the chipmaker is expected to last five weeks.

The organization is claiming the semiconductor firm of unfair competition.

It claims that the firm pressured Apple & Samsung Electronics to pay high fees and royalty payments for essential handset components, which then increased the expense of those devices for consumers.

What the Case Will Examine

The trial beginning on Monday will examine whether the chipmaker had market power and, should that be the case, whether it exploited a dominant position.

In the event that the watchdog is victorious, there will be a subsequent step aiming to obtain 480 million pounds from Qualcomm, to be allocated to an approximate twenty-nine million British phone owners impacted.

The consumer group is seeking damages for all impacted Apple and Samsung Electronics smartphones acquired between 1 October 2015 and early January 2024.

The group states this would probably work out at around £17 per person.

Earlier Cases and Qualcomm's Statement

Qualcomm has earlier said the claim has "no foundation".

A parallel claim against Qualcomm is in progress in the Canadian courts, and the corporation has also earlier been penalized by the EU for anti-competitive violations.

The Federal Trade Commission in the US filed a case against the firm for anti-competitive behavior in the way it licensed its patents during 2017, but had its case dismissed in 2020.

Significance of the Trial

The chief executive of the watchdog remarked: "This legal action is a major milestone. It demonstrates how the power of consumers - supported by us - can be used to hold the biggest companies to answer if they exploit their dominant position."

The chipmaker is one of the leading manufacturers of smartphone chips and has faced accusations about unfair practices previously.

• Eligible smartphones include Apple and Samsung Electronics models bought between October 2015 and 2024.
• The overall compensation demanded is 480 million pounds.
• Individual payout is estimated to be approximately 17 pounds.
• The legal action is taking place at the specialist court in the UK capital.