Just barely a day after Apple announced its much-anticipated iPhone 4S, Samsung said it wanted to bar the device from sales in France and Italy. The Korean electronics giant said that the device infringed two of its patents related to WCDMA standards for 3G mobile phones.

The infringed technology is essential to the reliable functioning of telecom networks and devices and Samsung believes that Apple’s violation as being too severe and that the iPhone 4S should be barred from sales. Apple has continued to flagrantly violate our intellectual property rights and free ride on our technology. We believe it is now necessary to take legal action to protect our innovation.

The company will also seek to ban the iPhone 4S in other countries after "further review." The legal spat between the two companies has been ongoing for quite a while now. It all started in April this year when Apple initiated legal action against Samsung's range of Android mobile phones and tablets. In August, Apple won a preliminary injunction that resulted in the ban of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany. In Australia, Samsung is said to have offered Apple a compromise that would see it remove features that Cupertino says infringes on its patents. Alas, Apple didn't accept the deal, forcing Samsung to consider cancelling its plan to offer the Galaxy 10.1 in Australia.