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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowPlainfield-based wireless device distributor Brightpoint Inc. today announced that it has inked a deal to add Google Inc.’s services to cell
phones. Under the deal, Brightpoint will install Google Search and Google Maps on a range of smartphones.
“It is a major deal for us,” said Brightpoint CEO Bob Laikin. “Aligning Brightpoint with Google is a significant milestone for us and a significant win.”
The deal, which Laikin said took six months to negotiate, will allow cell phone users to hunt for travel directions or make topical queries in the same way they already use Google on personal computers.
Laikin declined to disclose the financial terms of the deal, nor project an impact on Brightpoint’s sales and bottom line.
But adding value to cell phones by installing helpful software is a central concept of Brightpoint’s business. He said the company hopes to ink similar deals with other hardware- and software makers.
“We now have a global footprint that represents 66 percent of the world’s wireless subscribers,” Laikin said. “Our goal is to bring them
more products and services. This clearly is a service that fits that profile.”
Brightpoint last year generated $4.3 billion in revenue and posted profit of $47.4 million. It has 3,300 employees in 25 countries.
The company’s shares were down 3.7 percent, to $11.39, in morning trading.
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