Apple Inc. & Samsung Electronics Customers Could Be Due for a Share of a £480 million Payment in the United Kingdom
Close to thirty million individuals in the Britain who acquired an Apple or Samsung handset from the year 2015 to the year 2024 could be able to around 17 pounds each if a buyer advocacy organization is successful in its lawsuit against the American tech giant Qualcomm Inc..
Legal Action Begins This Week
The consumer group is taking the tech giant to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in the UK capital now.
The legal proceedings between the watchdog and the chipmaker is anticipated to run for five weeks.
The body is claiming the semiconductor firm of unfair competition.
It claims that the corporation pressured Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics to pay inflated prices and licensing fees for critical phone parts, which then increased the price of those smartphones for users.
Key Points the Trial Will Examine
The case beginning now will examine whether the chipmaker possessed control and, if proven, whether it abused a powerful stance.
If the watchdog is successful, there will be a second stage requesting 480 million pounds from Qualcomm, to be distributed among an estimated 29 million British consumers affected.
The organization is claiming compensation for all eligible Apple and Samsung mobile phones bought between the start of October 2015 and 9 January 2024.
The organization estimates this would almost certainly amount at around seventeen pounds per person.
Previous Allegations and The Firm's Statement
The chipmaker has in the past said the legal action has "no basis".
A similar legal action against the tech giant is in progress in the Canadian courts, and the firm has also in the past been penalized by the EU for anti-competition practices.
The FTC in the US sued the firm for restrictive tactics in the way it authorized use of its innovations during 2017, but had its case rejected in 2020.
Significance of the Case
The head of the organization commented: "This case is a huge moment. It demonstrates how the collective strength of the public - supported by our organization - can be used to make the largest corporations to answer if they exploit their leading role."
The chipmaker is one of the leading suppliers of smartphone chips and has been subject to accusations about unfair practices in the past.
- Eligible smartphones include Apple & Samsung models bought between the end of 2015 and January 2024.
- The overall compensation being sought is £480m.
- Per-person compensation is projected to be approximately seventeen pounds.
- The case is taking place at the specialist court in the UK capital.