First Google phone actually Samsung phone: "The Samsung deal, however, is among the first of Google’s efforts to get its software built into the phone at the 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."

So, if this is true then Google aren't doing their own phone, they're just doing what every operator does today: customising a handset with their own applications. This isn't rocket science, doesn't involve anything at a network level, and is similar to the T-Mobile deal: getting prominence for Google's search engine as the first port of call for mobile browsers.

Interesting assumption here: that the browser will be the place mobile users go to have their information needs met. I don't see why this should be the case...