Rather than allow a potential bidding war to drive up the price, or having both parties
walk away leaving Kodak without a way to secure needed financing, Apple and Google are said to have
opted to team up on a joint, over-$500 million bid for 1,100 Kodak digital imaging patents. The consortium, which also includes several other companies (most notably Microsoft, though HTC and Samsung are rumored to be in as well), may accomplish multiple goals: helping Kodak, keeping the costs down, and (perhaps) heading off future litigation.
