According to an AP report, IBM and Apple have formed a partnership that will bring IBM’s Lotus Notes e-mail software to Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch wireless devices. IBM plans to announce the deal at its Lotusphere conference next week. Under the terms of the partnership, users who already have a Lotus Web-access license will have free access to the service, while plans for new users will start at $39 per year.

IBM counts 135 million Lotus users worldwide and could increase the iPhone’s competition in the business-targeted handset space.

The report also indicated that IBM is planning to release Lotus Notes and a free Lotus Symphony productivity suite, which includes a document, spreadsheet and other applications for Apple computers.

Apple and IBM have not previously had a close working relationship, but an IBM spokesperson told the AP that the two are realizing now that they have a lot in common.