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US: Apple to pay $450M fine after Supreme Court rejects e-book appeal

By  |  March 7, 2016

The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear Apple’s challenge to an appellate court decision that it conspired with five publishers to increase ebook prices, meaning it will have to pay $450 million as part of a settlement.

The court’s decision not to hear the case leaves in place a June 2015 ruling by the New York-based 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals that favored the US Department of Justice and found Apple liable for engaging in a conspiracy that violated federal antitrust laws.

Apple, in its petition asking the high court to hear the case, said the June decision by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in New York upholding a judge’s ruling that Apple had conspired with the publishers contradicted Supreme Court precedent and would “chill innovation and risk-taking.”

The 2nd Circuit’s ruling followed a 2013 decision by US District Judge Denise Cote after a non-jury trial that Apple played a “central role” in a conspiracy with publishers to eliminate retail price competition and raise e-book prices.

Full content: The Wall Street Journal

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