If you bought an iPhone in the UK between 2015 and early 2024, the price you paid now sits at the center of a London courtroom fight. Consumer group Which? says Qualcomm’s licensing tactics inflated what Apple paid for key phone technology and, in turn, what you paid at checkout. If judges agree, you could receive about £17 per eligible handset.
The case opened on October 6, 2025, at the Competition Appeal Tribunal and will run for five weeks. Judges will decide one issue first: did Qualcomm hold market power and abuse it when it set terms for technology Apple needed to connect your phone to mobile networks. Only if Which? wins this liability phase will the court move to a second stage to set compensation.
What this means for your iPhone bill
Here’s the core claim. Which? alleges Qualcomm operated a “no licence, no chips” policy that let it charge excessive royalties. Apple and Samsung then passed the higher costs into retail prices, leaving you to cover the difference. Qualcomm, in past statements, has dismissed the case as baseless. The company says its licensing model is standard and denies that it abused power.
Check who’s covered. The class focuses on LTE-enabled iPhones and Samsung devices purchased new in the UK from October 1, 2015, to January 9, 2024. Current 5G models are excluded for now. The claim is opt-out, so you don’t need to file paperwork to stay in the class.
Keep your expectations steady. The average payout is small per device, but the total sought is large at £480 million. Timelines in competition cases stretch. If the court finds against Qualcomm, a separate damages phase will follow, and only then would money flow to consumers.
The Apple POV
Think about how Apple fits in. Apple isn’t on trial here. It sits on the purchasing side of Qualcomm’s licensing system and chips. Which? argues that system pushed supplier costs higher and that Apple priced phones accordingly. The court’s answer will not rewrite Apple’s past bills, but it could decide whether you overpaid for your iPhone during the LTE era and deserve a refund.
Apple hasn’t commented publicly on this suit. But the outcome could shape how Apple negotiates chip and patent licensing deals in the future. It could also encourage similar claims elsewhere.
Reuters reported the five-week trial began October 6, outlines the alleged “no licence, no chips” policy, and notes the proposed £480 million class recovery covering around 29 million UK Apple and Samsung buyers.
Legal precedents
Across the world, Qualcomm has faced antitrust scrutiny. The US Federal Trade Commission sued Qualcomm over licensing practices, though its case was dismissed in 2020. In Europe, the company has already been fined for antitrust violations. A parallel consumer lawsuit is underway in Canada.
Which? says this is a defining moment for consumer rights. “This trial shows how consumers with backing can hold big firms to account,” said Anabel Hoult, CEO of Which?.
For Apple users in the UK, the trial could mean unexpected returns. But it will take time before the claim’s outcome and any payout is secured.
