Judge Rules Against Apple in E-Books Trial

A federal judge found that Apple violated antitrust law in helping raise the retail price of e-books, saying the company “played a central role in facilitating and executing” a conspiracy with five big publishers.

“Without Apple’s orchestration of this conspiracy, it would not have succeeded as it did in the spring of 2010,” the judge, Denise L. Cote of United States District Court in Manhattan, said in her ruling. She said a trial for damages would follow. The Justice Department said the judge’s decision was a victory for people who buy e-books. “Companies cannot ignore the antitrust laws when they believe it is in their economic self-interest to do so,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “This decision by the court is a critical step in undoing the harm caused by Apple’s illegal actions.” It appears unlikely that the ruling will have an immediate effect on the book-buying public. The publishers who have already settled with the government are operating under the settlement’s terms, which prohibit publishers from restricting a retailer’s ability to discount books. Since those settlements have gone into effect, prices on many newly released and best-selling e-books have gone down. Keith Hylton, a professor at Boston University’s School of Law, said that Apple should have some good arguments to back its appeal, but it will be a difficult fight. “The new problem Apple faces is that the judge’s massive opinion relies so heavily on facts and inferences that an appellate court is unlikely to have room to modify the decision substantially.