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Close to thirty million consumers in the UK who acquired an Apple Inc. or Samsung smartphone between the year 2015 to 2024 could be able to about seventeen pounds per person if a buyer campaign group prevails in its legal action against the US tech giant Qualcomm.

Court Case Starts Today

The advocacy organization is taking the tech giant to the specialized court in the UK capital now.

The legal proceedings involving the advocacy organization and Qualcomm is anticipated to last five weeks.

The body is accusing the chip company of unfair competition.

The group asserts that the firm pressured Apple & Samsung to pay inflated prices and royalty payments for essential phone parts, which then raised the cost of those devices for users.

The Details the Trial Will Decide

The trial commencing on Monday will examine whether Qualcomm had control and, if proven, whether it misused a dominant position.

If the advocacy organization is successful in its claim, there will be a follow-up phase requesting £480m from Qualcomm, to be distributed among an projected 29 million UK consumers impacted.

The consumer group is pursuing restitution for all impacted Apple Inc. & Samsung mobile phones bought between 1 October 2015 and early January 2024.

The watchdog estimates this would likely amount at about 17 pounds per person.

Earlier Allegations and The Firm's Response

Qualcomm has previously stated the claim has "no basis".

A similar claim against the tech giant is in progress in the Canadian courts, and the corporation has also earlier been sanctioned by the EU for antitrust violations.

The FTC in the United States filed a case against the company for restrictive tactics in the way it authorized use of its technology back in 2017, but had its claim rejected in 2020.

Significance of the Trial

The head of the watchdog stated: "This trial is a huge moment. It shows how the influence of consumers - supported by us - can be used to hold the largest corporations to account should they exploit their leading role."

The chipmaker is one of the largest global producers of handset semiconductors and has been subject to claims about anti-competitive behaviour in the past.

• Eligible devices include Apple & Samsung Electronics models acquired between the end of 2015 and the start of 2024.
• The total payout demanded is 480 million pounds.
• Each compensation is expected to be about seventeen pounds.
• The trial is being held at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in the UK capital.