Canada court orders Apple to hand over iPhone documents

A Federal Court Canada on Wednesday ordered Apple's Canadian subsidiary to hand over nearly three years worth of documents to a watchdog agency as part of an anti-competition probe into iPhone sales.

The move after Canada's Competition Bureau last week said it was poring over Apple's contracts with local wireless carriers to determine if the company illegally stifled competition when it introduced the phone.

The agency is particularly interested in determining whether Apple used its global clout to pressure operators into not lowering the price of competing handsets.

Apple is now required to hand over calendars, phone statements and emails of its Canada executives dating from January 1, 2012 to September 1, 2014, as well as communications between Apple and Canadian phone operators during this time.

The court also ordered the Californian giant to submit its figures, analyses and strategic plans for the sale of Apple gear in Canada, as well as contracts signed with distributors.

At the time of its 2008 Canada launch, Apple's smartphone was provided exclusively by telecommunications firm Rogers, before it was eventually made available by several carriers.

The Competition Bureau last week stressed that the probe was ongoing and no determination had been made as to whether any laws had been broken.

Apple has 90 days to comply or appeal.