Judge orders Apple to hire monitor for e-book antitrust case

PanARMENIAN.Net - A federal judge who found Apple Inc liable for conspiring to fix e-book prices entered an injunction on Friday, Sept 6, intended to bar the iPad maker from further antitrust violations, according to Reuters.

U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan said Apple could not enter into agreements with five major U.S. publishers that would impede its ability to reduce e-book retail prices or offer price discounts.

The judge also ordered Apple to hire an external compliance monitor for two years to supervise the company's antitrust compliance efforts.

The final judgment will expire after five years, though Cote's order allows for extensions in one-year increments if necessary.

The permanent injunction followed a July 10 ruling by Cote finding Apple conspired with five publishers to undermine e-book pricing established by the dominant retailer in the market, Amazon.com Inc.