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Close to thirty million individuals in the UK who purchased an Apple and/or Samsung Electronics smartphone from 2015 and 2024 may be able to around seventeen pounds per person should a consumer campaign group is successful in its case against the American tech giant Qualcomm.

Trial Begins This Week

The advocacy organization is bringing the technology corporation to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London starting Monday.

The legal proceedings involving the advocacy organization and Qualcomm is projected to continue for over a month.

The group is accusing the tech firm of unfair competition.

The group asserts that the firm compelled Apple and Samsung to pay high fees and licensing fees for necessary phone parts, which then increased the cost of those devices for buyers.

What the Trial Will Examine

The legal proceedings starting now will examine whether Qualcomm possessed dominance and, if so, whether it abused a leading role.

Should the advocacy organization is victorious, there will be a subsequent step requesting 480 million pounds from Qualcomm, to be allocated to an approximate 29 million British smartphone users impacted.

The organization is seeking damages for all impacted Apple & Samsung Electronics smartphones bought between the start of October 2015 and January 9, 2024.

The group estimates this would likely amount at approximately seventeen pounds per individual.

Previous Legal Challenges and The Firm's Statement

The chipmaker has in the past said the case has "no foundation".

A similar case against the tech giant is currently underway in the Canadian courts, and the corporation has also in the past been penalized by the European Union for antitrust violations.

The Federal Trade Commission in the US took legal action against the firm for anti-competitive behavior in the way it authorized use of its patents back in 2017, but had its claim dismissed in the year 2020.

Significance of the Legal Action

The head of the organization commented: "This legal action is a major milestone. It shows how the power of the public - backed by us - can be used to require the biggest companies to answer if they misuse their dominant position."

The chipmaker is one of the leading suppliers of mobile processors and has faced allegations about unfair practices in the past.

• Eligible smartphones include Apple and Samsung Electronics phones purchased between 2015 and 2024.
• The overall compensation demanded is £480 million.
• Each payout is expected to be approximately 17 pounds.
• The legal action is taking place at the specialist court in the UK capital.