Nearly £30 million people could be entitled to a share of £480 million if they bought an Apple or Samsung smartphone between 2015 and 2024. Consumer group Which? is taking US tech giant Qualcomm to a tribunal today over accusations of anti-competitive practices. Qualcomm has been accused of forcing Apple and Samsung to pay higher prices and licensing fees for essential handset components, thereby increasing the cost of their smartphones.
If Which? wins, there will be a second stage to get the £480 million from Qualcomm, which would be shared between around 29 million people affected in Britain. This equates to around £17 each for people who bought a Samsung or Apple smartphone between October 1, 2015 and January 9, 2024.
Which? CEO Anabel Hoult said: “This trial is a huge moment. It shows how the power of consumers – backed by Which? – can be used to hold the biggest companies to account if they abuse their dominant position.
“Without Which? bringing this claim on behalf of millions of affected UK consumers, it would simply not be realistic for people to seek damages from the company on an individual basis.
“That’s why it’s so important that consumers can come together and claim the redress they are entitled to.”
Qualcomm, one of the biggest producers of smartphone chips in the world, maintains that the case has “no basis”.
It is also embroiled in a similar case in Canada, and has already been fined by the EU for antitrust.
In 2017, it was sued by the Federal Trade Commission for unfair practices due to the way it licensed its technology, but the case was dismissed in 2020.
