The Department of Justice is accusing the companies of colluding to raise e-book prices by using the 'agency' model of e-book pricing.



From PCWorld:

The lawsuit, filed in New York district court, names Apple, Hachette SA, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster as defendants, according to Bloomberg.

The Justice Department may announce an antitrust settlement today, presumably with some of the publishers, but unnamed sources told Bloomberg that Apple and Macmillan have refused to negotiate. Penguin may also be preparing for a legal battle.

  Apple, Major Publishers Sued Over E-Book Pricing