Apple Responds to DOJ eBook Lawsuit; Penguin, Macmillan in for the Long Haul

From DailyTech: Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice formally filed a lawsuit against Apple and five book publishers, accusing the "gang" of colluding to raise prices on eBooks. At the time, Apple didn't bother to release a public statement regarding its role in the alleged price fixing, but Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr issued the following statement this evening to AllThingsD:

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.

Of the five publishers, three decided to settle (HarperCollins, the Hatchette Group, and Simon & Schuster). The other two publishers -- Penguin and MacMillan -- have decided to stick to their guns and dig in for a long fight.

In fact, John Sargent, CEO of Macmillan Publishers USA, made it clear that he feels that his company did nothing wrong. In a blog post on Wednesday, Sargent stated his case:

It is also hard to settle a lawsuit when you know you have done no wrong. The government’s charge is that Macmillan’s CEO colluded with other CEO’s in changing to the agency model. I am Macmillan’s CEO and I made the decision to move Macmillan to the agency model. After days of thought and worry, I made the decision on January 22nd, 2010 a little after 4:00 AM, on an exercise bike in my basement. It remains the loneliest decision I have ever made, and I see no reason to go back on it now.

Other publishers have chosen to settle. That is their decision to make.

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