Apple Required to Reveal Australian iPhone Carrier Contracts to Samsung [iOS Blog]

9 November, 2011 -
iOS Blog -
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Last week, we noted that as part of its case seeking to have sales of the iPhone 4S banned in Australia, Samsung had requested access to both the iPhone 4S source code and Apple's agreements with the country's wireless carriers. Samsung's interest in the carrier contracts related to device subsidies, with the company curious about whether the amount of subsidies paid to Apple by the carriers might be resulting in anti-competitive behavior.

Bloomberg now reports that the judge in the case has sided with Samsung on the carrier contract issue, ordering Apple to turn over copies of its agreements to Samsung. Apple had objected to Samsung's request, calling it a "fishing expedition" by Samsung without a specific target relevant to the case.

[Australia Federal Court Justice Annabelle] Bennett ruled the contracts with the phone operators are relevant to Samsung’s case. Apple said it would oppose the disclosure and suggested it was a speculative effort to find damaging information.

“We will resist any attempts by our friends to push us into a corner” on the subsidies, Apple’s lawyer Andrew Fox told the judge. “This is quite clearly a fishing expedition.”

Bennett declined to rule on Samsung's source code request at this time, noting that she will address the issue on November 11th unless Apple and Samsung reach an agreement on their own before then.