Apple could begin paying out $400 million worth of cash and ebook credits by the end of the year, after a federal judge approved an unusual deal related to an Apple-led conspiracy to fix the price of ebooks.
It’s finally over. Apple has all but given up its long-running legal fight over ebook price fixing, and agreed to pay instead. Here’s a quick Q&A about what happens next.
Apple appears to have bowed to the inevitable and settled a long-running case over ebooks. Here’s a description, plus a key settlement letter.
Something is wrong when publishers — and likely Apple — are paying consumers to go shopping at Amazon. Here’s the latest from an ebook investigation that jumped the shark some time ago.
Consumers who bought eligible ebooks between 2010 and 2012 are likely to receive up to $3.06 per book, according to updated information released by the states’ Attorneys General Friday. Here’s what you can expect.
Macmillan CEO John Sargent said Wednesday that the publisher does not plan to follow Penguin’s lead and settle with the Department of Justice in the ebooks lawsuit. However, Macmillan voluntarily entered new retailer contracts that conform with many of the requirements in the original settlement.
Simon & Schuster has entered into new ebook contracts with retailers following the ebook pricing settlement with the Department of Justice. The other two settling publishers, HarperCollins and Hachette, had already signed new contracts.
With many ebook buyers set to receive small payments as a result of the $69 million settlement between 49 states and three publishers, the states have slightly modified the way those payments will work.
A surprise ruling last week will force publishers to tear up their e-book contracts with retailers. The ruling is scheduled to go into effect in the next few days and, if it does, Amazon and others will be allowed to slash the price of e-books. A prominent lawyer has filed a Hail Mary brief to stop the process.
Apple says the DOJ’s proposed settlement with three publishers is unlawful because it requires Apple — which is not settling — to terminate its contracts with those publishers. A trial is needed, Apple says, as well as more scrutiny of Amazon’s role in the lawsuit.
