Prices of many best-selling e-book titles had already come down before a federal judge's ruling Wednesday that Apple colluded with publishers to drive up prices.

That is because the five major publishers targeted in the Justice Department's 15-month-old civil antitrust suit over e-book pricing have settled with the agency. As a result, the decision by U.S. District Judge Denise Cote will have little immediate impact for consumers.

...