Apple's iBookstore Agency Model Under Questioning?

Reports are coming in claiming that the Texas Attorney General is investigating Apple’s entrance into the e-books market. US Publishers told the Wall Street Journal that they were being approached by the Attorney General’s office to discuss this matter, but refused to give details.

Under question is the agency model which Apple is pushing because it enforces a standard contract on publishers, a condition of which is that e-books cannot be sold cheaper elsewhere.

US Trade site, Publishers Lunch, reported the following “As best we can determine, the questioning so far has been highly-focused in scope, directed at the largest book publishers and at least some retailers." The questioning was described as a general “fishing expedition” for information, which could go on for months, or end very quickly.


However, these concerns have not prevented most publishers from offering their titles via Apple’s iBookstore, as it has had a successful launch.

Earlier, US trade website Publishers Lunch reported that Apple was the subject of an anti-trust inquiry by the Texas Attorney General's office into the agency model. The publication cited well-placed sources as claiming the queries had started in early to mid-April - within days of the launch of Apple's iPad and iBookstore.

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