Apple and four major ebook publishers have offered retailers such as Amazon.com the option to set their own prices for ebooks for the next two years in a bid to end an antitrust investigation in the European Union. The European Commission launched the investigation into allegations of cartel price-fixing by Harper Collins, Hachette Livre, Simon & Schuster, Penguin, Macmillan and Apple last December. The publishers are accused of colluding with Apple to fix the price of ebooks, forcing up prices for consumers and attempting to squeeze rivals such as Amazon out of the market. The case hinges on so-called “agency pricing”, which allows more control by publishers over retail prices, in particular an unusual “most favored nation” (MFN) clause. Apple, Harper Collins, Hachette Livre, Simon & Schuster and Macmillan have all offered to terminate existing agency agreements and refrain from adopting price MFN clauses for five years. Penguin has not offered any commitments and an investigation into its conduct is ongoing. In addition, retailers would be free to set the retail price of ebooks, offering whatever discounts or promotions they wish, for a two-year period, so long as the total value of discounts does not exceed the total annual amount of commission that the retailer receives from the publisher, reported the E.U.’s Official Journal on Wednesday. This could mean lower prices for consumers thanks to increased competition. However the Commission is asking... Continue reading at 'PC World'
[ PC World | 2012-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple says it will appeal against a court ruling that bans the company from entering into deals with publishers that could allow ebook prices to be fixed or inflated. The case was raised by the Department of Justice and judge Denise Cote's decision is very much in line with what they were... Continue reading at Betanews
[ Betanews | 2013-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple may escape some of the penalties sought by the government in the ebook price-fixing case. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The federal judge who last month found Apple Inc. liable for fixing ebook prices said she plans to limit the remedies sought by the U.S. to ensure they "rest as lightly as possible" on the way the company does business.U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan Tuesday said she intends to... Continue reading at Crains New York
[ Crains New York | 2013-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A federal judge took Apple to task on Friday for showing no contrition about potentially defrauding its customers of hundreds of millions of dollars. "None of the publishers nor Apple have expressed any remorse" about colluding to fix electronic book prices in 2010, said District Judge Denise... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2013-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple, in its ongoing battle over an ebook price fixing scandal, has been dealt yet another setback. Last month, Judge Denise Cote ruled that Apple had violated antitrust laws in conspiring with publishers to raise ebook prices. Cupertino asked for a temporary suspension of her ruling while it... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2013-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The US Department of Justice isn't buying publishers' arguments that proposed injunctions against Apple for alleged ebook price fixing are excessive and contradictory. DOJ attorney Lawrence Buterman claims in a response letter that the penalties against Apple are necessarily harsher, since it... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2013-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Five major publishers are challenging restrictions imposed on Apple after it was found guilty of ebook price-fixing. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2013-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Five book publishers have objected to restrictions that would be placed on Apple's business after it was found guilty last month of conspiring to fix prices for ebooks.A New York federal judge ruled in July that Apple conspired with the publishers to fix prices for ebooks, snuffing out... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As Apple returns to court on Friday to fight with government lawyers over proposed restrictions on its ebook business, the company is getting a little belated help from its alleged co-conspirators. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One month after a New York federal judge ruled that Apple Inc. had conspired to fix electronic book prices, the Department of Justice has proposed a series of restrictions on Apple's digital book sales. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After the European Commission accepted offers from Apple and four publishers to free up ebook pricing restrictions in December 2012, it's now accepted Penguin's commitment to do the same. Much like Penguin's vow to the US DOJ, it will end its agency agreements with Apple and other retailers, and... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2013-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple has been found guilty of colluding to raise ebook prices. Financial ramifications aside, has the judgement damaged publishing's reputation with consumers? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple Inc., the world's biggest technology company, violated antitrust law by engaging in a scheme to fix the prices of electronic books, a federal judge ruled in a suit brought by the U.S. government.U.S. District Judge Denise Cote, who tried the case without a jury, ruled against Apple in a... Continue reading at Crains New York
[ Crains New York | 2013-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Government lawyers allege the agreements Apple signed in 2010 with five publishers amounted to a conspiracy to get consumers to pay more for electronic books.NEW YORK — Eddy Cue, the Apple Inc. executive in charge of negotiating the company's controversial ebook deals, defended how the tech... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-06-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Concerned about Amazon.com's low pricing of ebooks, publishers had taken measures as early as 2009 such as "windowing," a practice of delaying ebook releases to benefit sales of hardcover editions, Apple said in a filing in an ebook price-fixing lawsuit.The U.S. Department of Justice in an... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2013-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette Livre and Macmillan owner Verlugsgruppe Georg von... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A prominent Senate Democrat sided with Apple this week, and called on the Justice Department to drop its ebook lawsuit against the Cupertino, Calif. company. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote in an opinion piece that appeared in the Wednesday edition of the Wall Street Journal that a victory... Continue reading at Betanews
[ Betanews | 2012-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The chiefs of Europe's publishing houses will meet today (26th June) in Brussels at a round-... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A three month long dispute over the sale of digital books between Amazon.com Inc. and a leading independent book distributor has been resolved, both parties said Friday. Continue reading at AllThingsD
[ AllThingsD | 2012-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple was unable to have an antitrust lawsuit over the price of ebooks dismissed. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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