Apple 'assessing next steps' after e-books antitrust ruling

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc <AAPL.O> said Tuesday that it was assessing its next steps after a U.S. court upheld a trial judge's decision concluding that the iPad maker conspired with five publishers to increase e-book prices.

In a statement issued after the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York handed down its 2-1 decision, the company maintained that it did not conspire to fix e-book prices, as the U.S. Justice Department contends.

"While we want to put this behind us, the case is about principles and values," Apple said. "We know we did nothing wrong back in 2010 and are assessing next steps."

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)