Qualcomm has confirmed that a major lawsuit in the United Kingdom accusing the company of forcing Apple and Samsung to pay inflated smartphone chip royalties will be withdrawn.
The case was brought by the consumer group Which? on behalf of millions of smartphone buyers who purchased Apple or Samsung devices since 2015. The group had claimed Qualcomm’s licensing practices unfairly increased costs for manufacturers, ultimately raising consumer prices.
However, the claimant has now reached an agreement to withdraw the lawsuit without any financial compensation from Qualcomm. The decision comes after concluding that the court would likely find the company’s licensing model lawful and not in violation of competition rules.
According to the consumer group, Qualcomm’s practices did not coerce manufacturers into agreements or inflate royalties in a way that harmed consumers.
The development reinforces earlier rulings in the United States that upheld Qualcomm’s patent licensing framework.
