It was touted as Google’s first handset, but the Ultra Edition 13.8 is really just a Samsung slider with a bunch of Google apps pre-loaded.
Samsung’s HSDPA device incorporates Google’s mobile search and Gmail applications. Although both are, of course, already available as free over-the-air downloads to Java-enabled phones, this represents another aggressive move into mobile for the search giant. The Ultra 13.8 will launch in Europe soon.

In the last 18 months Google has closed deals with T-Mobile and Vodafone to supply the home page for specified handsets and tarriffs. In November, it announced a deal with Sprint to bring its Gmail client to the US operator’s content deck.

The Samsung deal, however, is among the first of Google’s efforts to get its software built into the phone at bthe manufacturing stage. In this it joins competitors such as Yahoo, which  embeds its client into selected Nokia devices, and MSN, which has similar deals in place. .

Source-  mobile-ent  Wireless Mobile Telecom