As the ebooks trial, initiated by the US Department of Justice against Apple Inc. over suspicions the tech giant conspired to fix ebooks prices, nears its final stretch, the latest developments in the case could suggest that the DOJ has already lost its fight. According to reports, book retailer Barnes & Noble, which offered its testimony in the case yesterday, blew a major hole through the DOJ’s case as B&N Vice President of Digital Content Theresa Horner testified the company had already been negotiating pricing details with ebooks publishers well before Apple entered the market. Those negotiations, said Horner, were the retailer’s efforts to cut losses the store was suffering thanks to rivals like Amazon. The testimony largely refutes the DOJ’s case that Apple was the “ringleader” in such pricing negotiations to force retailers to use the agency pricing model. As the case nears its end, speculation mounts that the DOJ will be defeated. The case is scheduled to wrap up by the end of this week.
Full Content: The Washington Post and The Mac Observer
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Redfin Settles $9.2M Commission Inflation Lawsuits
May 7, 2024 by
CPI
DOJ Supports Colorado’s Efforts to Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger
May 7, 2024 by
CPI
Japan Considers Regulation of AI Developers
May 7, 2024 by
CPI
European Commission Extends Decision Deadline for Ita-Lufthansa Merger
May 7, 2024 by
CPI
UK, US and Australia Sanction Senior Leader of LockBit Cybercrime Gang
May 7, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI