| Verizon Communications and Google are in discussion over a mobile search partnership that would make Google the default search engine on all Verizon phones, according to media reports Monday.
The companies are negotiating over how much information Google can retain about Verizon's customers and their searches.
The two companies would share revenue from advertising that is tied to searches.
The aim of the deal is to unify all the services behind a single search platform and boost traffic to Verizon Wireless' web services.
Of the 36 million Verizon Wireless customers who access data using their phones, about 13.1 million search the Web, according to estimates from Nielsen Mobile, which tracks wireless trends.
It is expected that any partnership deal is more than one or two months away, as the talks are in an early phase.
A survey found that Google dominates mobile search services with a 61 percent market share, followed by Yahoo with 18 percent and MSN trailing with just 5 percent.
(Agencies August 25, 2008) | 
