LONDON (Reuters) -Qualcomm is fighting a 480 million-pound ($646.8 million) London lawsuit brought on behalf of smartphone owners, which alleges the chipmaker has abused its dominant position to force Apple and Samsung to pay inflated royalties.

A British consumers’ association that goes by the name of Which? is bringing the case and its lawyers say around 29 million people who bought iPhones or Samsung devices since 2015 are entitled to compensation.

The group alleges Qualcomm made the manufacturers pay inflated royalties even if its chips are not used in a device under a worldwide so-called no licence, no chips policy.

Lawyers representing Which? said in court documents prepared for a five-week trial starting on Monday that this operates as “an industry-wide private tax which ensures

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