Google and AOL renew long-term partnership

Google and AOL have renewed a long-term partnership that gives AOL Web properties access to Google search and advertising services.

The partnership, in place since May 2002 and renewed for the third time, provides revenue-sharing from AOL in exchange for search services. The new deal will expand to give AOL access to Google's mobile search products and Google subsidiary YouTube access to AOL's video content, the companies said in a statement.

Specific details about the deal, including the revenue-sharing agreement, will not be announced, said AOL spokeswoman Tricia Primrose.

The deal is "another important step in the turnaround of AOL," Tim Armstrong, AOL's chairman and CEO, said in the statement. The deal provides AOL users with a better search experience, he said.

The agreement combines Google's search and advertising expertise with "AOL's strength in online content," Eric Schmidt, Google's chairman and CEO, said in the statement.

The agreement gives AOL access to Google's search and advertising services, including mobile search. AOL is planning to focus more on mobile applications and content, the companies said. In addition, YouTube will have access to AOL's video content.

The agreement is global in scope, meaning AOL's worldwide audience will benefit from the deal, the companies said.

AOL split from parent company Time Warner in December 2009, and the company has focused on creating Web content, including journalism. In July, AOL introduced a smartphone portal and an app, running on Google's Android mobile OS, that gives users access to AOL sites, including Engadget, MapQuest and AOL Mail.