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Nearly thirty million people in the UK who purchased an Apple Inc. or Samsung Electronics smartphone between 2015 and 2024 could be able to around £17 per person should a buyer campaign group prevails in its lawsuit against the US technology firm Qualcomm Inc..

Court Case Commences This Week

The advocacy organization is escalating the tech giant to the specialized court in London starting Monday.

The trial between the advocacy organization and the chipmaker is projected to run for five weeks.

The body is alleging the semiconductor firm of anti-competitive practices.

It claims that the firm forced Apple & Samsung to pay high fees and royalty payments for necessary mobile hardware, which then pushed up the expense of those devices for users.

Key Points the Case Will Decide

The trial starting this week will focus on whether the chipmaker had market power and, should that be the case, whether it misused a powerful stance.

If the watchdog is successful in its claim, there will be a subsequent step seeking £480 million from Qualcomm, to be allocated to an estimated 29 million British phone owners impacted.

The body is pursuing restitution for all affected Apple and Samsung smartphones bought between October 1, 2015 and 9 January 2024.

The organization estimates this would likely calculate at about seventeen pounds per person.

Earlier Legal Challenges and Qualcomm's Position

The chipmaker has in the past claimed the legal action has "no basis".

A similar legal action against the tech giant is ongoing in the Canadian courts, and the company has also previously been fined by the European Union for antitrust practices.

The US regulator in the United States filed a case against the corporation for restrictive tactics in the way it authorized use of its patents back in 2017, but had its claim thrown out in 2020.

Importance of the Legal Action

The head of the consumer group stated: "This case is a major milestone. It demonstrates how the influence of consumers - represented by our organization - can be used to hold the biggest companies to account if they exploit their leading role."

The firm is one of the world's biggest producers of handset semiconductors and has faced accusations about unfair practices previously.

• Eligible smartphones include Apple Inc. & Samsung models acquired between October 2015 and January 2024.
• The overall compensation demanded is £480m.
• Individual payout is estimated to be about 17 pounds.
• The trial is taking place at the CAT in the UK capital.