The mobile versions of Google Search, Google Maps and Gmail will come bundled on some Samsung phones, both companies announced on Monday at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), under way this week in Las Vegas.
The software will be bundled on phones starting in "early 2007", with Samsung already including Google software on its new ultra-slim HSDPA-ready phone, the Ultra Edition 13.8 (Z720).
The news follows Yahoo's announcement that its new version of Yahoo Go, its mobile software, would be preloaded on more than 70 phones from manufacturers such as Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and Research In Motion. Samsung also signed an agreement in December 2006 to bundle Opera Mobile Web browsers on some of its advanced mobile phones.
Kitae Lee, President of telecommunication network business at Samsung Electronics, said at CES, "Today's Internet is quickly changing from fixed a stationary environment to a highly mobile environment. Samsung Electronics will continue to create a world that allows true ubiquitous, readily available information through the mobile Internet sector."
What deal means for Samsung
Cell phone manufactures are attempting to gain competitive advantage by adding mobile search capability to their devices. By signing deals with the global Internet giants, Samsung is aiming to get an early ride on the emerging mobile Internet services market.
Apart from Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, and Sony Ericsson are the other mobile manufactures that have hooked up with Google and Yahoo to bring exclusive software and services into their devices.
Major telcos like Vodafone, T-Mobile, Cingular and Sprint have also reportedly been inking their own deals with major web companies, providing a clear indication of the increased efforts being made to promote Internet-based applications into mobile phones.
Applications such as mobile search, messaging and blogging are expected to be the main drivers of the mobile Internet business. And with the advent of high speed mobile communications trend analysts also predict mobile web applications spreading into Web 2.0 in future deals.
ZDNet Korea's Hyojeoung Kim contributed to this story
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