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Nearly 30 million individuals in the UK who acquired an Apple Inc. and/or Samsung Electronics handset from 2015 and 2024 might be eligible to around 17 pounds each in the event that a consumer watchdog wins in its legal action against the American tech giant Qualcomm.

Legal Action Begins On Monday

The campaign is bringing the firm to the CAT in the UK capital now.

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

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

It claims that the firm pressured Apple Inc. & Samsung Electronics to pay high fees and licensing fees for essential mobile hardware, which then pushed up the expense of those smartphones for consumers.

Key Points the Trial Will Decide

The case beginning this week will examine whether Qualcomm possessed control and, if so, whether it abused a leading role.

Should the consumer group is successful in its claim, there will be a second stage seeking 480 million pounds from the tech firm, to be distributed among an estimated twenty-nine million UK smartphone users affected.

The consumer group is seeking damages for all impacted Apple and Samsung mobile phones acquired between 1 October 2015 and January 9, 2024.

The watchdog says this would likely work out at about seventeen pounds each.

Previous Legal Challenges and Qualcomm's Response

Qualcomm has earlier claimed the legal action has "no basis".

A comparable case against Qualcomm is ongoing in Canada, and the company has also in the past been sanctioned by the European Union for anti-competitive violations.

The Federal Trade Commission in the US took legal action against the company for restrictive tactics in the way it licensed its patents during 2017, but had its legal action thrown out in the year 2020.

Significance of the Case

The head of the organization stated: "This trial is a huge moment. It demonstrates how the power of consumers - represented by us - can be used to make the largest corporations to account if they exploit their leading role."

The chipmaker is one of the leading producers of smartphone chips and has been subject to allegations about anti-competitive behaviour previously.

• Eligible smartphones include Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics products purchased between 2015 and 2024.
• The total payout demanded is £480m.
• Per-person payout is expected to be around £17.
• The legal action is taking place at the CAT in the UK capital.