Judging a book by its cover price: Apple and the great e-book swindle
Apple and five of the big six US publishers conspired to eliminate price competition in the e-book market — and it reads like a thriller
No one can deny that since Apple launched its first iPod in October 2001, the company has seen enormous growth in product sales, revenue and in its ever-growing support base. This has been achieved through innovation, elegant design and the pursuit of simplicity. However, more recent headlines have raised concerns about the calibration of Apple’s ethical compass and its dogmatic pursuit of profit. In July 2013, US District Court Judge Denise Cote found that Apple, together with five of the big six US publishers (including Hachette, HarperCollins, MacMillan, Penguin Group and Simon & Schuster) conspired to eliminate retail price competition in the e-book market. All the publishers conceded wrongdoing and decided to settle with the US Department of Justice. Apple, however, chose to challenge the allegations. Judge Cote’s 160 page decision is not happy reading for Apple loyalists. She found that Apple played a central role in facilitating and executing the conspiracy to raise e-book pr...
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