Apple guilty of eBook price fixing

Posted on Wednesday, July 10 2013 @ 18:26 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
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Reuters reports US District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan found Apple guilty to price fixing in the eBook market. The court ruled that Apple played a central role in a conspiracy with five major publishers to raise the retail prices of eBooks and eliminate retail price competition:
Apple was accused of pursuing the conspiracy to undercut online retailer Amazon.com Inc's e-book dominance, causing some prices to rise to $12.99 or $14.99 from the $9.99 that Amazon charged. Amazon once held a 90 percent market share.

"Apple chose to join forces with the publisher defendants to raise e-book prices and equipped them with the means to do so," Cote said in a 159-page decision. "Without Apple's orchestration of this conspiracy, it would not have succeeded as it did."

Wednesday's decision was not a total surprise, given that Cote indicated before the 2-1/2 week non-jury trial began on June 3 that Apple's defenses might fail. Cote ordered a trial to set damages.
Apple claims the allegations are false and said it will appeal Cote's decision.


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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