Question: When did arch rivals IBM and Apple Computers Inc. decide to join hands?

Answer:

IBM and Apple Computers Inc. joined hands in the year 1991.

In July 1991, IBM and Apple announced a historic collaboration known as the "Apple-IBM Alliance." The partnership aimed to combine their respective strengths and technologies to develop and market personal computer products for business customers.

Under this alliance, IBM agreed to use Apple's Macintosh operating system (at that time, System 7) in their line of personal computers, known as the IBM PS/1 and IBM PS/2. This move allowed IBM to offer a user-friendly graphical interface and software compatibility with Macintosh applications.

On the other hand, Apple agreed to adopt IBM's PowerPC processor architecture as the foundation for their future Macintosh computers. The PowerPC processors, jointly developed by IBM, Motorola, and Apple, offered improved performance and power efficiency compared to the previous generation of processors used in Macintosh computers.

The collaboration between IBM and Apple was seen as a significant development in the computer industry, as it brought together two prominent companies that were previously considered rivals. The partnership aimed to leverage their complementary strengths and resources to compete more effectively against other industry players, such as Microsoft and Intel.

However, it's worth noting that this alliance was not a merger or acquisition between IBM and Apple. Rather, it was a strategic partnership focused on specific areas of collaboration while maintaining their separate corporate identities and product lines.