Qualcomm says UK lawsuit over smartphone chip royalties will be withdrawn

Core Viewpoint - Qualcomm announced that a lawsuit in the UK alleging it abused its dominant position to impose inflated royalties on Apple and Samsung will be withdrawn, with no compensation to be paid to consumers [1]. Group 1: Lawsuit Details - The lawsuit was initiated by the British consumers' association Which? on behalf of approximately 29 million consumers who purchased iPhones or Samsung devices since 2015 [1]. - Which? claimed that consumers were entitled to up to £480 million ($652.03 million) in compensation due to inflated royalties charged by Qualcomm [1]. - The lawsuit argued that Qualcomm's "no license, no chips" policy forced manufacturers to pay royalties even if its chips were not used in the devices [1]. Group 2: Qualcomm's Response - Qualcomm stated that the lawsuit mischaracterized its licensing requirements for standard essential patents, which are necessary before manufacturers can purchase chipsets [1]. - Following a trial, Which? concluded that Qualcomm's practices did not infringe competition laws, did not result in inflated royalties, and did not increase mobile phone prices for consumers [1]. - A Qualcomm spokesperson emphasized that the recognition by the class representative reaffirms the legality of Qualcomm's licensing practices, consistent with previous court rulings in the United States [1].