Apple claims DOJ antitrust accusations are "simply not true"

[Shawn Knight]

Just days after the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple and two major book publishers, the Cupertino-based company has issued a public response. Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr said the following on behalf of Apple:

The DOJ’s accusation of collusion against Apple is simply not true. The launch of the iBookstore in 2010 fostered innovation and competition, breaking Amazon’s monopolistic grip on the publishing industry. Since then customers have benefited from eBooks that are more interactive and engaging. Just as we’ve allowed developers to set prices on the App Store, publishers set prices on the iBookstore.

Based on this statement, it’s clear that Apple is adamantly denying the charges levied against them. The antitrust lawsuit claims that Apple conspired with at least five book publishers to eliminate competitive pricing and increase overall e-book costs in a move that would benefit all parties while sticking it to Amazon.

CBS Corp's Simon & Schuster Inc, HarperCollins Publishers Inc and Lagardere SCA's Hachette Book Group have all agreed to settle with the Justice Department out of court. Such a move could be seen as an admission of guilt but it’s more likely that this is simply the cheaper of the two routes they face. If anyone has the extra cash lying around to fight an antitrust lawsuit, it’s Apple.

Pearson and Macmillan, a unit of Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH, are also named as defendants in the case and have yet to concede. Earlier this week, chief executive for Macmillan John Sargent told the press that his company did nothing illegal and that the settlement terms were “too onerous.”

Image via CBS.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/48183-apple-claims-doj-antitrust-accusations-are-simply-not-true.html

 

[Punkid]

typical apple response....ur wrong/lieing ..... like when they said people were holdding their phones wrong :|

 

[Vrmithrax]

This is a complex issue that requires examination of the activities of both sides (Amazon and Apple) to get the full picture of just what has been going on with the publishing world, so I am going to sit on the fence and watch the action. All that said, however...

I find it a bit humorous for a company like Apple, who keeps a strict stranglehold on their entire ecosystem and discourages any kind of competition, to whine about "Amazon's monopolistic grip." Seems rather disingenuous, and more than a little hypocritical.

 

[Xero07]

The type of competition they are allowing is making retailers compete for who will let the developers charge consumers most. Bad type of competition.

 

[m4a4]

Same response as Antenna-gate and when the iOS 5.1 update (I believe) totally screwed around with the battery life.
This is starting to piss me off how apple goes and says something and then the masses believe it. Next thing you know they will claim their technology is magical... oh, wait.

 

[Tygerstrike]

"Apple....did you and your buddies steal the cookie jar?"

"No it wasnt us."

"But Apple we have all this proof including video evidence! It proves you took the cookie jar!"

"No, youre wrong. You must be holding the cookie wrong."


Typical Apple. When will they ever have to face the music?

 

[Butch]

"CBS Corp's Simon & Schuster Inc, HarperCollins Publishers Inc and Lagardere SCA's Hachette Book Group have all agreed to settle with the Justice Department out of court."

I don't understand. Settle with who? The Justice Department? Are they going to divvy up the cash they get from these guys to the consumers that got screwed? Doubt it. Its just transferring ill-gotten gains from one greedy cesspool to another.

 

[SNGX1275]

@ Punkid, m4a4, and Tygerstrike - I don't think you have read into this story any at all. Your simple dislike of Apple has clouded any common sense and caused you to post your remarks. Techspot, being a generally anti-Apple crowd has further helped your desire to freely post anti-apple remarks before reading the story.

Vrmithrax - glad you are trying to keep a level head about it.

CNET thinks Apple will win.

This is in effect, Apple,Pearson and Macmillan being the only people left standing to challenge Amazon's hold on ebooks. It is a total monopoly with just Amazon. So quickly do opinions change on business practices when Apple is involved.

 

[m4a4]

@SNGX1275 I would say distrust of apple. After their blatant lies about antennagate and a few other things, I have no reason to trust their word based on what I see.
With only amazon in the e-book market, the prices were low. Now that apple is in the market, the prices are 33% higher "just to pay apple".
http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2012/04/12/9-99-e-book-price-to-cost-apple-252-million/
However, I'm not saying that I support what Amazon is doing, I'm saying that apple's word is BS.

 

[Guest]

Amazon is worse. Much worse. Apple was practically forced (by Amazon) to take the approach they did in order to bring publishers onboard.

 

[gwailo247]

SNGX1275 said:
This is in effect, Apple,Pearson and Macmillan being the only people left standing to challenge Amazon's hold on ebooks. It is a total monopoly with just Amazon. So quickly do opinions change on business practices when Apple is involved.

Kinda says something about Apple doesn't it?

Anytime someone like Apple or EA pick a side which seems ostensibly to be "good", one has to assume that they just found a way to screw over the customer with it in the long run.

Sorry, like a stopped watch, Apple may occasionally be correct in its dealings, but its pretty safe to assume that anytime they raise the "we're the good guys flag" they're just playing the long game.