Apple & Samsung Users May Be Eligible for a Share of a 480 million pound Compensation in the UK

Close to thirty million individuals in the UK who bought an Apple and/or Samsung smartphone between the year 2015 and 2024 may be eligible to around seventeen pounds per person should a consumer watchdog is successful in its legal action against the American tech giant Qualcomm.

Court Case Starts On Monday

The consumer group is bringing the tech giant to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in the UK capital starting Monday.

The trial between the consumer group and Qualcomm is expected to run for over a month.

The group is accusing the semiconductor firm of restrictive behavior.

It claims that the company pressured Apple Inc. and Samsung to pay high fees and patent charges for necessary phone parts, which then raised the cost of those smartphones for buyers.

The Details the Trial Will Examine

The trial starting this week will focus on whether Qualcomm possessed control and, should that be the case, whether it abused a leading role.

In the event that the consumer group is victorious, there will be a follow-up phase requesting £480m from Qualcomm, to be divided between an estimated 29 million British phone owners affected.

The consumer group is claiming compensation for all affected Apple & Samsung Electronics handsets acquired between the start of October 2015 and January 9, 2024.

The watchdog estimates this would almost certainly work out at around 17 pounds each.

Previous Cases and Qualcomm's Statement

The company has earlier said the legal action has "little merit".

A comparable case against the tech giant is in progress in Canada, and the company has also previously been fined by the EU for antitrust practices.

The FTC in the US sued the corporation for unfair practices in the way it sold rights to its innovations in 2017, but had its legal action thrown out in the year 2020.

Importance of the Legal Action

The chief executive of the organization commented: "This legal action is a huge moment. It shows how the influence of consumers - represented by the group - can be used to make the biggest companies to account when they exploit their leading role."

Qualcomm is one of the largest global manufacturers of handset semiconductors and has faced allegations about anti-competitive behaviour in the past.

• Qualifying devices include Apple Inc. and Samsung products acquired between 2015 and January 2024.
• The overall compensation being sought is £480 million.
• Per-person payout is expected to be about £17.
• The trial is taking place at the specialist court in London.