By Sheila McKenzie-
A landmark class action lawsuit that could award millions of UK consumers a share of a massive million compensation pot has officially gone to trial.
Pic: IStock
This significant legal action, spearheaded by the consumer champion Which?, targets the American technology giant Qualcomm. The core of the complaint alleges that Qualcomm’s anti-competitive behaviour unfairly drove up the price of smartphones for approximately 29 million people in the United Kingdom.
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Individuals who purchased an affected Apple or Samsung device between October 1, 2015, and January 9, 2024, are automatically included in the claim, which is being pursued on an “opt-out” basis.
The potential average payout for each person is estimated to be around , although this amount could change depending on the number of devices purchased and the final decision of the Tribunal.
The trial, which is scheduled to run for five weeks at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London, began on October 6, 2025. Which? is asserting that Qualcomm systematically breached UK competition law.
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Specifically, the consumer group claims the company leveraged its overwhelming market dominance in patent-licensing and mobile chipsets to charge excessive fees to manufacturers like Apple and Samsung.
This commercial practice essentially acted as a hidden “patent tax” on every device sold, causing the final retail price for the customer to be unfairly inflated.
This claim is an essential step towards holding dominant global corporations accountable for practices that harm everyday consumers.
Qualcomm, however, vehemently rejects the allegations, maintaining that the case has “no basis” and promising to challenge the claims vigorously throughout the proceedings.
The legal process is structured in two main phases. Initially, the Tribunal will focus on establishing whether Qualcomm did, in fact, hold a dominant market position and whether the company abused that controlling power through anti-competitive actions. If the court rules in favour of the consumers on this first point, a subsequent trial will be held.
This second phase will focus exclusively on determining the specific damage suffered by the class and finalising the total compensation amount, which Which? currently calculates at million. A successful outcome would not only secure substantial financial redress for UK consumers but also set an important precedent.
The legal action highlights two central, allegedly anti-competitive practices by Qualcomm regarding its critical technology licenses.
Firstly, Qualcomm is accused of refusing to license its essential patents to competing chipset manufacturers, thereby restricting market competition and increasing reliance on its own products.
Secondly, the firm is alleged to have refused to supply its chipsets to smartphone manufacturers unless those companies agreed to pay a separate, significant royalty fee for the technology patents. This system, according to Which?, forced Apple and Samsung to accept inflated costs, which were then simply passed directly to the end customer.
The CEO of Which?, Anabel Hoult, commented that this trial represents a powerful moment, showing how consumer action can hold the largest companies accountable for abusive market practices.
This important UK smartphone compensation lawsuit ensures that consumers have a voice when dealing with giant tech companies, and is part of a growing international trend of legal challenges against the chipmaker’s licensing model. Similar claims have been launched in other jurisdictions, including Canada, and Qualcomm has also faced fines from regulatory bodies like the European Union for its past competition violations.
The consumer protection group is encouraging all potentially affected customers in the UK to visit the official claims website for further information and to register for updates on the action. Anyone who bought an Apple or Samsung smartphone during the defined period in the UK, including those with a mobile phone contract, should check their eligibility for this UK smartphone compensation lawsuit. The resolution of this significant case could be a few years away, but today’s commencement of the trial is a huge milestone for consumer rights.
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