Eddy Cue comments on ebook price fixing ahead of appeal effort

December 3, 2014

Apple is attempting to get a federal appeals court to overturn last year's judgment on Apple's role in ebook price fixing. The ruling saw, among other things, an external antitrust monitor installed at Apple, something that the company fought against. Apple SVP Eddy Cue, who negotiated deals with publishers for the iBookstore, has now spoken about the case, and why Apple is fighting so hard to overturn the ruling. Cue says that the rise in ebook prices is not evidence of collusion, according to Fortune:

"Is it a fact that certain book prices went up?" asks Cue. "Yes. If you want to convict us on that, then we're guilty. I knew some prices were going to go up, but hell, the whole world knew it, because that's what the publishers were saying: 'We want to get retailers to raise prices, and if we're not able to, we're not going to make the books available digitally.' At the same time, other prices went down too, because now there was competition in the market."

If they lose the appeal, Apple will need to pay $450 million, a settlement negotiated with the government earlier this year. Apple heads back to court on December 15.

Source: Fortune