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Apple formally appeals ebooks antitrust ruling, asks for monitor to be suspended until a new decision is made

Apple has formally appealed the Department of Justice’s ebooks antitrust case, via the Associated Press. Previously, Apple has only officially complained about the power of the appointed monitor — now they are asking for the entire case to be re-evaluated.

Apple claims it was ignorant of any inter-publisher price fixing and that Apple setup iBooks through legal arrangements without knowledge of any behind-the-scenes collusion.



Apple said that the ruling is a “radical departure” from modern antitrust law. In the appeal documents, Apple said that its entrance into ebooks increased competition and resulted in “higher output, lower price levels, and accelerated innovation”.

Apple has also asked for the external compliance monitor to be suspended pending a decision on the appeal. Apple has shown a distaste to Bromwich, asking for his removal just weeks after he was instated.

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Comments

  1. I still haven’t ever heard why ebooks on the Google Play store are the same price as they are on iTunes.

    • thejuanald - 10 years ago

      Because Apple made a deal with publishers that they can’t charge less for a book on iTunes on any platform.

      • thejuanald - 10 years ago

        Ew, that was poorly worded. What I meant to say was that Apple made a deal that ebooks cannot be cheaper on any other platform.

      • rogifan - 10 years ago

        Apple didn’t/doesn’t dictate the price of books. I thought the deal was if publishers offered a a cheaper wholesale price to Amazon that’s what Apple would set their price at.

      • thejuanald - 10 years ago

        The whole issue was that Apple got together with publishers and set a price that the publishers would force onto any other company, like Amazon. They got together, allegedly, and set prices, and made it so nobody could sell ebooks for lower than Apple was selling, as far as I recall. What you said doesn’t make any sense as to why this would even be a lawsuit.

        Plus, I distinctly remember ebook prices being really cheap on Amazon, and then sky rocketing when Apple got into the ebook business. I may be off on my timeline, though.

    • rogifan - 10 years ago

      What evidence is there that Apple set prices? All they said was if new releases were cheaper on Amazon then Apple could charge that price on the iBooks store.

  2. OneOkami (@OneOkami) - 10 years ago

    Apple said that its entrance into ebooks increased competition and resulted in “higher output, lower price levels, and accelerated innovation”.

    What a load of BS! I saw ebook prices go up.

  3. rahhbriley - 10 years ago

    Awesome!!!! I was sad they were laying down on this issue.
    There are some pretty good breakdowns of this case on the Interweb for those asking.

  4. b9bot - 10 years ago

    If you have read anything lately about ebook prices, ebook prices fell to as low as $4 a book when Apple entered the ebook market contrary to what the DOJ claims. Only the top selling books rose in price. And there was lots of testimony and evidence that showed Amazon sold books the same way as Apple when it started. So if Apple is guilty of some kind of price fixing then Amazon is also guilty. And since Amazon is now in control of 90% of the ebook market they are even more guilty then Apple could have ever been. This whole case was a sham run by a puppet judge that was prejudice against Apple and predetermined Apple’s guilt publicly before the trial even started. Anyone who knows the responsibility of a real judge knows that you are not allowed to do this. That alone should at least give Apple a new trial with a different judge.

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.