Publishers object to US restrictions on apple in e-books case

Five of the largest US publishers objected to tough new restrictions sought by the US government against Apple Inc for illegally conspiring to fix e-book prices.

In a motion filed on Wednesday in US District Court in Manhattan, the publishers contended the proposed final order in the case would effectively prevent Apple from entering agreements that limit its ability to discount books.

The publishers said the US Justice Department's proposed provisions don't impose any limits on Apple's pricing behaviour.

They argued it instead effectively punishes the publishers, who had already reached settlements with the federal government and dozens of states.

The publishers include Lagardere SCA's Hachette Book Group Inc, News Corp's HarperCollins Publishers LLC, Pearson Plc's Penguin Group (USA) Inc, CBS Corp's Simon & Schuster Inc and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH's Macmillan.