🔗 Share this article Apple Inc. & Samsung Electronics Customers Could Be Eligible for a Piece of a 480 million pound Payment in the UK Nearly 30 million individuals in the UK who purchased an Apple and/or Samsung mobile phone between the year 2015 to 2024 may be entitled to around £17 per claimant should a buyer campaign group wins in its legal action against the US tech giant Qualcomm. Legal Action Begins This Week The advocacy organization is bringing the firm to the CAT in London this week. The trial between the watchdog and Qualcomm is expected to last around 35 days. The body is claiming the tech firm of restrictive behavior. The group asserts that the corporation compelled Apple & Samsung to pay inflated prices and royalty payments for critical mobile hardware, which then pushed up the price of those mobile phones for users. Key Points the Legal Action Will Determine The case beginning on Monday will focus on whether Qualcomm held market power and, if proven, whether it exploited a dominant position. If the watchdog is victorious, there will be a follow-up phase requesting £480 million from the tech firm, to be distributed among an estimated twenty-nine million British phone owners affected. The consumer group is claiming compensation for all affected Apple & Samsung Electronics smartphones bought between October 1, 2015 and early January 2024. The group estimates this would probably amount at about £17 each. Past Cases and The Firm's Response Qualcomm has earlier claimed the legal action has "no basis". A similar legal action against the tech giant is ongoing in Canada, and the corporation has also earlier been fined by the European Union for anti-competitive violations. The FTC in the United States filed a case against the corporation for restrictive tactics in the way it licensed its technology in 2017, but had its claim thrown out in 2020. Significance of the Case The CEO of the watchdog commented: "This trial is a huge moment. It illustrates how the influence of consumers - represented by our organization - can be used to hold the largest corporations to be accountable if they exploit their leading role." The firm is one of the leading producers of mobile processors and has faced allegations about unfair practices previously. Eligible devices include Apple & Samsung Electronics phones bought between 2015 and 2024. The overall compensation being sought is £480m. Per-person compensation is projected to be around seventeen pounds. The trial is proceeding at the specialist court in London.