Google and LG team up

Internet search giant, Google said Wednesday that it has inked a deal with Korean electronics firm, LG Electronics, to put its software on LG’s mobile phones.

The move comes days after Yahoo announced its ‘oneSearch’ service – widely hailed by analysts and industry observers as a significant leap over Google’s existing mobile technology.

LG, maker of the ‘Shine’ and the ‘Chocolate’ said it will begin shipping devices equipped with Google software, including Maps, Blogger Mobile and Gmail during Q2 of this year.

“LG’s mobile devices, combined with Google, will provide consumers with easy access to their favourite internet services even without a PC and make it easy for them to stay connected while in motion,” Paul Bae, VP of product planning at LG said in a statement.

LG, the world’s fifth largest handset vendor, is nurturing a reputation for innovative designs arena with solid performance from its portfolio in Asian and Western markets.

In its statement, Google said users will have ‘one click access’ to its software via a Google icon.

Google said the deal was similar to ones it had already struck with Motorola and Samsung and did not include the Google phone which the company is rumoured to be working on.

Deep Nishar, Google’s director of product management, said: “We are pleased to work with LG to make it easier than ever for mobile internet users to have powerful applications and personalised information at their fingertips.” However, Google has slipped on mobile with Yahoo taking the lead after its oneSearch announcement.

Eden Zoller, principal analyst at Ovum says very strong mobile services will increasingly sit alongside typical offerings from operators “which ultimately gives the consumer more choice”.