The feds' price-fixing lawsuit against Apple: A guide

The DOJ accuses Apple and five book publishers of conspiring to keep prices on e-books high, and competition from places like Amazon low

The Fed alleges that Apple and some publishers are conspiring to increase the prices consumers pay for e-books.
(Image credit: Daisy Cooper/Corbis)

On Wednesday, the Department of Justice formally filed a lawsuit against Apple and five book publishing giants — Simon & Schuster, Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin Group, and Macmillan — alleging that the companies engaged in an "anticompetitive" price-fixing scheme, thus preventing discount retailers like Amazon.com from undercutting the market. Attorney General Eric Holder said the suit is meant to protect American consumers who have unfairly "paid millions of dollars more" than necessary for popular titles, and to ensure that "cutting-edge technologies are available at the lowest possible price." Here, a guide to the unfolding case:

How did Apple and the publishers allegedly fix prices?

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