Verizon Wireless and Google, two industry Goliaths that have seen each other as potential rivals, are discussing a partnership that would give Google’s search service a prominent spot on the screens of Verizon phones, according to people briefed on the talks.

The discussions are being spurred by the growing popularity of sophisticated devices like the iPhone that have simplified Web searching on mobile phones. New phones like those based on Google’s Android software, and models coming from Research in Motion and others, are likely to accelerate the trend.

Any partnership deal between the two is more than a month away, perhaps two, as the talks are in an early phase, said people apprised of those discussions. The companies are negotiating over how much information Google can retain about Verizon’s customers and their searches, according to these people. The two companies would share revenue from advertising that is tied to searches.

Read more from source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/technology/23google.html?em