Samsung demands Iphone 4S source code

Samsung's legal counsel, Cynthia Cochrane told the Australian federal court that Samsung needs access to the source code in order to assert that Apple is infringing three of its patents relating to wireless 3G, according to Smart Office.

Samsung also wants to see the agreements Apple made with mobile phone carriers Vodafone, Telstra and Optus, which it claims will also affect its case. It is not clear why it needs this information, but it might be attempting to make the point that Apple has made deals with these companies to give it an unfair advantage.

Apple denies it infringed the patents in question, claiming it is using them under the Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory standard, but Samsung maintains that its international agreement with Apple does not extend to Australia and that Apple previously rejected an invitation to license the relevant patents.

Samsung wants sales of the Iphone 4S to be banned in Australia, a tit for tat move in response to the ban of the Galaxy Tab in Germany and an interim ban of the tablet in Australia.

The judge presiding over this case is Justice Annabel Bennett, who issued the interim injunction against the Galaxy Tab last month. It will be interesting to see if she will impose a ban on the Iphone 4S or again side in favour of Apple.

The case is expected to continue on 4 November, when the judge might decide if Samsung's demands are merited or not.

Meanwhile Apple announced Tuesday that the iPhone 4S will be available in Hong Kong and 14 additional countries on November 11,.

Apple’s fifth-gen smartphone will go on sale in Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Malta, Montenegro, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and South Korea next week.

The iPhone 4S is currently available in 29 countries. Apple added 22 countries to the original seven last week. Those new countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The iPhone 4S was released in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the U.K. on October 14.