DOJ suing Apple over ebooks.

[JonathanH]

What's the copyright on the text of lawsuits? I'd be glad to convert that PDF into a free MOBI and EPUB if it's legal to do so

Edit: done. See post 100 of this thread, here.

[Xoanon]

An analysis of the lawsuit here with some juicy details.

http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/11/29...le-an-analysis

To persuade other publishers, Steve Jobs himself had to get involved. He wrote an email to one publishing CEO saying that the only existing choices were to "keep going with Amazon at $9.99" or "hold back your books." He then offered a third choice: "Throw in with Apple and see if we can all make a go of this to create a real mainstream ebooks market at $12.99 and $14.99."

When Penguin explicitly said that it wouldn't sign unless at least three other companies signed, Apple "supplied the needed assurances."

In case you're wondering how seriously the DOJ is taking this case, the evidence in the complaint includes details of when publishing CEOs called each other and for how long. Yes, the government went and got phone records.

[Dulin's Books]

DOJ public record. you can change the format as much as you like

[JonathanH]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

DOJ public record. you can change the format as much as you like

Thanks I have the day off on Friday, so if no-one else beats me to it I should be able to do the conversion then.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by JonathanH

Thanks I have the day off on Friday, so if no-one else beats me to it I should be able to do the conversion then.

<strike>The pdf is, unfortunately, a scanned image.</strike>*

EDIT: Ah, the version in the later link seems to have selectable text, so that would be easier than the BBC's linked version.

* How do I strike things out?

Graham

[Daithi]

So how does eBook pricing work now? It looks to me like the publishers still get to set the sales price, and Amazon pays them 70% of that price. The only thing different is that Amazon is now able to sell the books at a discount (i.e. they can pass some of that 30% along to us). However, the settlement agreement in regards to eBook price restrictions only lasts for 2 years.

From PC Mag article--

Under the DOJ deal, participating publishers must allow retailers like Barnes & Noble and Amazon to price e-books as they please. The publishers will be banned for two years from implementing e-book price restrictions, and prohibited for five years from sharing "competitively sensitive" information with rivals. They are also required to put in place a "strong antitrust compliance program."

[vaughnmr]

Wow, some dirty laundry is getting aired! Efforts to hide the collusion including "communicate by telephone only" and "double delete the emails". Also the efforts by Penguin to retaliate against another big publisher for not joining the cartel, I assume Random House. Let's get the popcorn out, this is going to be fun.

[jbcohen]

Wall Street Journal today (April 11, 2012) published an article on the lawsuit here are some highlights of the artile:

The U.S. hit Apple Inc. AAPL -0.21%and five of the nation's largest publishers with an antitrust lawsuit over the fast-growing e-book market, alleging they conspired to raise prices and block Amazon.com Inc. AMZN +0.75%from selling e-books at $9.99.

Three of the publishers settled the U.S. suit and agreed to let Amazon and other retailers set the consumer price of e-books, upending the model that had led the price of many best-selling e-books to rise to $12.99 or $14.99. A separate settlement with states could lead to tens of millions of dollars in restitution to consumers who bought e-books.

Attorney General Eric Holder unveiled the federal suit at a Washington news conference. "As a result of this alleged conspiracy, we believe that consumers paid millions of dollars more for some of the most popular titles," he said.

Chief Executive John Sargent of Macmillan, a unit of Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH, denied collusion and said he rejected the government's settlement proposal because it could enable Amazon to "recover the monopoly position it had been building." He also said that a settlement "would have a very negative and long term impact on those who sell books for a living, from the largest chain stores to the smallest independents."

Amazon hailed the settlement as a victory for consumers and users of its Kindle e-reading device. "We look forward to being allowed to lower prices on more Kindle books," Amazon said.

Apple declined to comment.

The government's lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, described CEO-only meetings of publishers at which the alleged conspiracy was hashed out. The suit alleged that the publishers' chief executives met starting in September 2008 or earlier "in private dining rooms of upscale Manhattan restaurants" and "no legal counsel was present at any of these meetings."

By 2009, many publishers were increasingly angered at Amazon's decision to price many newly released and best-selling e-books at $9.99. Publishers feared that would set price expectations in many consumers' minds and make it difficult to charge more in the future. Apple's introduction of the iPad triggered a shift to the agency pricing model, under which Apple took a 30% commission on books it sold for the popular tablet.

This is highlights of the artile not the full article.

I to am angered by Amazon's decision to price many of its popular titles at $10 and not the customary $8.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...MD0rt63qXzDzbQ

I don't know how to do short links -- sorry

That's quite alright. They're forbidden by our Guidelines anyway.

8. Links, Uploads, Copyright and DRM

...The names of external sites must be fully disclosed; URL shortening services may not be used....

[JonathanH]

Originally Posted by Graham

EDIT: Ah, the version in the later link seems to have selectable text, so that would be easier than the BBC's linked version.

I hadn't seen the text was selectable, thankyou, that makes things much easier! Expect an EPUB later today...

Edit: done. See post 100 on this thread, here.

[ScotiaBurrell]

[QUOTE=jbcohen;2038586]
Three of the publishers settled the U.S. suit and agreed to let Amazon and other retailers set the consumer price of e-books[quote]

wow...

A separate settlement with states could lead to tens of millions of dollars in restitution to consumers who bought e-books.

about 79 cents every person

Attorney General Eric Holder

was democrats that did microsft right? never the other party using antitrsut law?

[cjr72]

Originally Posted by ScotiaBurrell

was democrats that did microsft right? never the other party using antitrsut law?

An antitrust suit was brought against AT&T (Ma Bell) in 1974 so that would have been under Nixon or Ford. It ended with AT&T being broken up in 1984.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

I'm not sure, but I don't think anyone has yet addressed the part of this whole lawsuit-thing that concerns me the most: Will my eBooks become cheaper now?

Probably not.
The BPHs will simply set their wholesale price at $14.99 and see if Amazon discounts from there. Of course, that'll crush the few non-Amazon retailers still standing but they'll get their pound of flesh one way or another.

The value of the lawsuit and the revelations to come (because they refused to settle) will be in watching the BPH apologists squirm and try to spin the evidence away.

[ProfCrash]

(giggles)

I wonder what the Publishers who did not settle think is going to happen? It sure seems like someone spilled all of the beans including where they met and what conversations were being held. This cannot be good for Apple and Company.

I won't lie, it would be nice to get a check for the books that I bought at a higher price but I seriously doubt that is going to happen.

[geertm]

A very good explanation of the settlement terms:
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2012/...tlement-ebook/