In the ongoing antitrust case regarding e-book price fixing, the presiding judge has denied Apple’s plea for mercy over the Department of Justice’s ruling proposal. The DoJ found Apple guilty of conspiring with publishers to raise prices on e-books with the iBookstore, and Apple continues to plead not guilty despite the fact that all of the publishers have settled outside of court.
What will likely happen next is the DoJ’s proposal will go into effect, and that means Apple will have to shut down the iBookstore for a number of years and allow App Store users to purchase e-books through third-party apps like Kindle.
The publishers involved in the case have said that forcing Apple out of the e-books market will hurt the entire industry, and Apple called the DoJ’s stance “draconian” and “punitive.” Apple could get some of the harsher terms in the proposal amended, but things are not looking good at all.
Source: AP
Image: Bloomberg
Alex Heath is a journalist who works for Tech Insider. He’s the former co-host of The CultCast. He has been quoted by the likes of the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like “ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation.” He lives in Lexington, Kentucky. If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Follow him on Twitter.
7 responses to “Judge Denies Apple’s Plea In DoJ’s Antitrust E-Book Ruling, Could Mean No More iBookstore”
Apple already allows the third party stores to sell in their apps. They just choose not to because Apple would charge them a 30% fee for every sale. There is a difference. The question is, will Apple have to drop that 30% fee? If that’s the case, that could affect more than just book apps.
Insane DOJ. They are creating an Amazon effective monopoly. Stupid and sick. (Disclosure: I have never bought an ebook via Apple, but still think this is a stupid “remedy”).
For all you gullible idiots who ask government to “regulate” the economy, your sex life, the food and substances you consume, and every other damn thing, THIS is just another example of what you get for it. The State ain’t there to love you, nurture you, or protect you. It’s there to sell its monopoly on the use of arbitrary force to the highest bidder, and that’s all it ever can be. It’s called politics.
All of you, please, give me a break. There are alternatives. The book sellers will have to come up with another solution, minus Apple in its current form.
@ Mahler12x, these regulations are design to protect consumers. Before posting your libertarian nonsense you should read the case.
Apple should just make the smart move and make it a sign of what’s to come if the DOJ keeps meddling in their business.
They need to form another Corporation outside of the USA and have that Corp. design and launch an App to sell books. They can then go back to selling books just the way they are now, without coming under this draconian abuse of power. They can also keep any profits earned from their book app Offshore, and at the same time they will be sending a stern warning to the DOJ that they could, at any time, just choose to move their whole company out of the USA. Apple is a global player selling in hundreds of countries and could therefore base them selves wherever the business environment was best for the company and it’s shareholders.
@ DinaMoHum, I wonder if you would be saying the same thing if, for example, the oil companies were allowed to collude and jack up gas prices. I like Apple too but i am not going to pucker up for them.
I really hope iBooks store is here to stay, eventhough it looks bad right now, i cannot help it but i like that app and the way it presenting books, uses