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And now for some good news... Why IBM and Apple were made for each other

It may have taken more than three decades from Steve Jobs' middle finger to the company to a total turnaround, but it's been a dream come true for many IT users.
Written by Zack Whittaker, Contributor
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Image: Apple, IBM

About 30 years ago, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs raised his middle finger at an IBM sign in New York City.

Today, the two companies, despite their differences and their radically varied approaches to their customers, are together, hand in hand, as the dream come true to many long-awaiting IT customers.

The deal will see more than 100 custom-built applications written for more than a dozen vertical industries, including healthcare and finance, in order to solve a pain point that these companies suffer on a day-to-day basis.

The end result? Make their lives easier. Nothing more, but certainly nothing less.

ZDNet UK bureau's Colin Barker took a look-back approach look at the deal, which, by all accounts, could be the deal that saves the Watson creator, but also dig the iPad maker out of the hole its found itself in during recent fiscal quarters.

As Barker explained, Apple's incumbent chief executive Tim Cook, a former IBM employee, knows more than anyone how to make a huge IT company tick. The deal is beneficial to both, but monetarily Apple will stand more to gain short-term. IBM is in it for the long haul. 

But can IBM loosen up while Apple straightens up, in order to find a middle ground in which the two can co-exist? Only time will really tell.

Read more: Ignore the naysayers, IBM and Apple were made for each other


What's the best news you've heard all year? We're counting down our favorite, uplifting, good news stories of 2014. Next one lands tomorrow, 8am ET (1pm GMT).

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