Carriers, Apple face Samsung scrutiny

Samsung is seeking to obtain the agreements between Apple and Australia's three major mobile telecoms--Optus, Vodafone, and Telstra--as well as the source code for the iPhone 4S firmware as it seeks to block the sale of Apple's newest smartphone.

In a hearing today in the ongoing patent dispute between Apple and Samsung over alleged infringements in the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Apple's new iPhone 4S, Samsung's counsel told the judge that in order to make its case for an injunction on the sale of the 4S, it needs Apple to produce the agreements that it had made with the three telecoms for all iPhone models.

Samsung said the agreements would show the impact of the device on Samsung's market share and revenue. In particular, Samsung is keen to find out the amounts of subsidies paid by Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone to Apple for selling the iPhones on plans. "If subsidies [are] given for the iPhone 4S, there are less to go around for my client's products," Samsung's counsel said. Apple has objected to producing any of the documentation, stating that it is irrelevant to the case.

Read more of "Mobile telcos face Apple-Samsung scrutiny" on ZDNet Australia.