29 million smartphone customers within the UK could possibly be due compensation

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Your assist makes all of the distinction. Learn extra A landmark class motion lawsuit towards tech big Qualcomm, probably resulting in payouts for hundreds of thousands of UK smartphone customers, is ready to start this week.

Client champion Which? has initiated the declare on behalf of some 29 million Apple and Samsung customers throughout the UK.

The five-week authorized proceedings, commencing 6 October at London’s Competitors Enchantment Tribunal, will first scrutinise whether or not Qualcomm held and exploited substantial market energy.

Ought to this preliminary part show profitable, a subsequent trial would then tackle Qualcomm’s particular conduct and the estimated £480 million in damages for affected shoppers.

Which? alleges Qualcomm breached UK competitors legislation by making the most of its dominance within the patent-licensing and chipset markets.

<img src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/04/25/9/03/GettyImages-2210288541.jpeg" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/04/25/9/03/GettyImages-2210288541.jpeg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/04/25/9/03/GettyImages-2210288541.jpeg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp 640w" loading="lazy" alt="Which? has initiated the claim on behalf of approximately 29 million Apple and Samsung users across the UK" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn"/> open picture in gallery

Which? has initiated the declare on behalf of roughly 29 million Apple and Samsung customers throughout the UK (Getty Photographs) It claims that this resulted in Qualcomm having the ability to cost producers corresponding to Apple and Samsung inflated charges for know-how licences, which have then been handed on to shoppers within the type of greater costs or lower-quality smartphones.

Which? is in search of damages for all affected Apple and Samsung smartphones bought between October 1 2015 and January 9 2024.

It estimates that particular person shoppers could possibly be due a mean of round £17 per cellphone if the motion is profitable.

Which? stated the motion was “very important” to acquire redress for shoppers and to “ship a transparent message to highly effective corporations like Qualcomm that in the event that they interact in dangerous, anticompetitive practices, Which? stands able to take motion”.

Which? chief govt Anabel Hoult stated: “This trial is a large second. It exhibits how the ability of shoppers – backed by Which? – can be utilized to carry the most important corporations to account in the event that they abuse their dominant place.

“With out Which? bringing this declare on behalf of hundreds of thousands of affected UK shoppers, it could merely not be real looking for individuals to hunt damages from the corporate on a person foundation – that’s why it’s so necessary that buyers can come collectively and declare the redress they're entitled to.”