Most of the time, when Apple and Google are in the same sentence it’s because the two companies aren’t getting along, are engaged in patent wars, or are trying to outdo each other. Today, though, Apple and Google have decided to team up. That’s right, Apple and Google are actually working together in order to achieve a common goal. What goal? Both companies want to grab ahold of some very lucrative Kodak patents.

Kodak Has What Apple and Google Want

This past summer, Kodak announced that the company would be offloading around 1100 patents. The majority of these patents are of the digital imaging sort. Kodak made the move in order to comply with bankruptcy terms. The patents that Kodak is selling are of great interest to Google and Apple, since both companies can use some of what Kodak has taken a long time to perfect. Kodak’s patents are mainly centered on digital imagery that includes tagging and image analysis. In short, technology that both Apple and Google could use more of.

So, why would Apple and Google (two known competitors) team up to buy a bunch of Kodak patents? Mainly because the patents that Kodak is selling won’t be sold cheap. Combined, Apple and Google have managed to gather a total of $500 million dollars, which should be enough to win over Kodak’s patents (and help Kodak pay down some of its debt). Right now, there’s no word yet as to whether or not Kodak has actually sold the patents to Google and Apple, though it certainly looks as though the deal is about to go through with much success.

Avoiding Courtroom Battles

The last thing that any company wants is to lose money in court. Were either Apple or Google to gain all of Kodak’s patents, you can bet that the two companies would be at each other’s throats in the form of numerous law suits. Instead, Apple and Google have decided to work with one another in order to share the patents and split future digital photography profits. As for Kodak, well, getting $500 million out of the deal isn’t exactly shabby. Will it be enough to help Kodak out of bankruptcy for good? Only time will tell, but the fact that Google and Apple are actually working together on this deal is amazing all the same.

What will the Kodak patents mean for fans of Google or Apple? Seemingly, Kodak has some digital imaging technology that’s worth millions. Deductively, Apple and Google users will want what whatever product comes out of the patent knowledge. It shouldn’t be too long before Kodak confirms the patent sale, and I’ll keep you posted when the sale goes through for certain.

Needless to say, it’s interesting that Apple and Google are working together to own the Kodak patents. If the deal goes through, other companies like Microsoft will be cut out of the Kodak digital technology altogether. Soon, it may be Apple and Google versus the world, instead of Apple versus Google. Is this a sign of the apocalypse, or have the two companies finally learned to grow up and work together?